Concept explainers
Anu Ghai was a new production analyst at RHI, Inc., a large furniture factory in North Carolina. One of her first jobs was to update the predetermined overhead allocation rates for factory production costs. This was normally done once a year, by analyzing the previous year’s actual data, factoring in projected changes, and calculating a new rate for the coming year. What Anu found was strange. The activity rate for “maintenance” had more than doubled in one year, and she was puzzled how that could have happened. When she spoke with Larry McAfee, the factory manager, she was told to spread the increases out over the other activity costs to “smooth out” the trends. She was a bit intimidated by Larry, an imposing and aggressive man, but she knew something wasn’t quite right. Then one night she was at a restaurant and overheard a few employees who worked at RHI talking. They were joking about the work they had done fixing up Larry’s home at the lake last year. Suddenly everything made sense. Larry had been using factory labor, tools, and supplies to have his lake house renovated on the weekends. Anu had a distinct feeling that if she went up against Larry on this issue, she would come out the loser. She decided to look for work elsewhere.
Requirements
- 1. Besides spotting irregularities, like the case above, what are some other ways that ABC cost data are useful for manufacturing companies?
- 2. What are some of the other options that Anu might have considered?
Want to see the full answer?
Check out a sample textbook solutionChapter 19 Solutions
EP FINANCIAL+MANAGERIAL ACCT. >CUSTOM<
Additional Business Textbook Solutions
Introduction To Managerial Accounting
Principles Of Taxation For Business And Investment Planning 2020 Edition
Financial Accounting
Principles of Accounting Volume 2
Intermediate Accounting
PRINCIPLES OF TAXATION F/BUS.+INVEST.
- Big Mikes, a large hardware store, has gathered data on its overhead activities and associated costs for the past 10 months. Nizam Sanjay, a member of the controllers department, believes that overhead activities and costs should be classified into groups that have the same driver. He has decided that unloading incoming goods, counting goods, and inspecting goods can be grouped together as a more general receiving activity, since these three activities are all driven by the number of receiving orders. The 10 months of data shown below have been gathered for the receiving activity. Required: 1. Prepare a scattergraph, plotting the receiving costs against the number of purchase orders. Use the vertical axis for costs and the horizontal axis for orders. 2. Select two points that make the best fit, and compute a cost formula for receiving costs. 3. Using the high-low method, prepare a cost formula for the receiving activity. 4. Using the method of least squares, prepare a cost formula for the receiving activity. What is the coefficient of determination?arrow_forwardPlease use the information from this problem for these calculations. After grouping cost pools and estimating overhead and activities, Box Springs determined these rates: It estimates there will be five orders in the next year, and those jobs will involve: What is the total cost of the jobs?arrow_forwardCalen Company manufactures and sells three products in a factory of three departments. Both labor and machine time are applied to the products as they pass through each department. The nature of the machine processing and of the labor skills required in each department is such that neither machines nor labor can be switched from one department to another. Calens management is attempting to plan its production schedule for the next several months. The planning is complicated by the fact that labor shortages exist in the community and some machines will be down several months for repairs. Following is information regarding available machine and labor time by department and the machine hours and direct labor hours required per unit of product. These data should be valid for at least the next six months. Calen believes that the monthly demand for the next six months will be as follows: Inventory levels will not be increased or decreased during the next six months. The unit cost and price data for each product are as follows: Required: 1. Calculate the monthly requirement for machine hours and direct labor hours for producing Products 401, 402, and 403 to determine whether or not the factory can meet the monthly sales demand. 2. Determine the quantities of 401, 402, and 403 that should be produced monthly to maximize profits. Prepare a schedule that shows the contribution to profits of your product mix. 3. Assume that the machine hours available in Department 3 are 1,500 instead of 2,700. Calculate the optimal monthly product mix using the graphing approach to linear programming. Prepare a schedule that shows the contribution to profits from this optimal mix. (CMA adapted)arrow_forward
- Paladin Company manufactures plain-paper fax machines in a small factory in Minnesota. Sales have increased by 50 percent in each of the past three years, as Paladin has expanded its market from the United States to Canada and Mexico. As a result, the Minnesota factory is at capacity. Beryl Adams, president of Paladin, has examined the situation and developed the following alternatives. 1. Add a permanent second shift at the plant. However, the semiskilled workers who assemble the fax machines are in short supply, and the wage rate of 15 per hour would probably have to be increased across the board to 18 per hour in order to attract sufficient workers from out of town. The total wage increase (including fringe benefits) would amount to 125,000. The heavier use of plant facilities would lead to increased plant maintenance and small tool cost. 2. Open a new plant and locate it in Mexico. Wages (including fringe benefits) would average 3.50 per hour. Investment in plant and equipment would amount to 300,000. 3. Open a new plant and locate it in a foreign trade zone, possibly in Dallas. Wages would be somewhat lower than in Minnesota, but higher than in Mexico. The advantages of postponing tariff payments on parts imported from Asia could amount to 50,000 per year. Required: Advise Beryl of the advantages and disadvantages of each of her alternatives.arrow_forwardIf a factory operates at 100% of capacity one month, 90% of capacity the next month, and 105% of capacity the next month, will a different cost per unit be charged to the work-in-process account each month for factory overhead assuming that a predetermined annual overhead rate is used?arrow_forwardJackie Iverson was furious. She was about ready to fire Tom Rich, her purchasing agent. Just a month ago, she had given him a salary increase and a bonus for his performance. She had been especially pleased with his ability to meet or beat the price standards. But now, she found out that it was because of a huge purchase of raw materials. It would take months to use that inventory, and there was hardly space to store it. In the meantime, space had to be found for the other materials supplies that would be ordered and processed on a regular basis. Additionally, it was a lot of capital to tie up in inventorymoney that could have been used to help finance the cash needs of the new product just coming online. Her interview with Tom was frustrating. He was defensive, arguing that he thought she wanted those standards met and that the means were not that important. He also pointed out that quantity purchases were the only way to meet the price standards. Otherwise, an unfavorable variance would have been realized. Required: 1. CONCEPTUAL CONNECTION Why did Tom Rich purchase the large quantity of raw materials? Do you think that this behavior was the objective of the price standard? If not, what is the objective(s)? 2. CONCEPTUAL CONNECTION Suppose that Tom is right and that the only way to meet the price standards is through the use of quantity discounts. Also, assume that using quantity discounts is not a desirable practice for this company. What would you do to solve this dilemma? 3. CONCEPTUAL CONNECTION Should Tom be fired? Explain.arrow_forward
- Otero Fibers, Inc., specializes in the manufacture of synthetic fibers that the company uses in many products such as blankets, coats, and uniforms for police and firefighters. Otero has been in business since 1985 and has been profitable every year since 1993. The company uses a standard cost system and applies overhead on the basis of direct labor hours. Otero has recently received a request to bid on the manufacture of 800,000 blankets scheduled for delivery to several military bases. The bid must be stated at full cost per unit plus a return on full cost of no more than 10 percent after income taxes. Full cost has been defined as including all variable costs of manufacturing the product, a reasonable amount of fixed overhead, and reasonable incremental administrative costs associated with the manufacture and sale of the product. The contractor has indicated that bids in excess of 30 per blanket are not likely to be considered. In order to prepare the bid for the 800,000 blankets, Andrea Lightner, cost accountant, has gathered the following information about the costs associated with the production of the blankets. Direct machine costs consist of items such as special lubricants, replacement of needles used in stitching, and maintenance costs. These costs are not included in the normal overhead rates. Otero recently developed a new blanket fiber at a cost of 750,000. In an effort to recover this cost, Otero has instituted a policy of adding a 0.50 fee to the cost of each blanket using the new fiber. To date, the company has recovered 125,000. Lightner knows that this fee does not fit within the definition of full cost, as it is not a cost of manufacturing the product. Required: 1. Calculate the minimum price per blanket that Otero Fibers could bid without reducing the companys operating income. 2. Using the full-cost criteria and the maximum allowable return specified, calculate Otero Fibers bid price per blanket. 3. Without prejudice to your answer to Requirement 2, assume that the price per blanket that Otero Fibers calculated using the cost-plus criteria specified is greater than the maximum bid of 30 per blanket allowed. Discuss the factors that Otero Fibers should consider before deciding whether or not to submit a bid at the maximum acceptable price of 30 per blanket. (CMA adapted)arrow_forwardEmery Manufacturing Company produces component parts for the farm equipment industry and has recently undergone a major computer system conversion. Jake Murray, the controller, has established a troubleshooting team to alleviate accounting problems that have occurred since the conversion. Jake has chosen Gus Swanson, assistant controller, to head the team that will include Linda Wheeler, cost accountant; Cindy Madsen, financial analyst; Randy Lewis, general accounting supervisor; and Max Crandall, financial accountant. The team has been meeting weekly for the last month. Gus insists on being part of all the team conversations in order to gather information, to make the final decision on any ideas or actions that the team develops, and to prepare a weekly report for Jake. He has also used this team as a forum to discuss issues and disputes about him and other members of Emerys top management team. At last weeks meeting, Gus told the team that he thought a competitor might purchase the common stock of Emery, because he had overheard Jake talking about this on the telephone. As a result, most of Emerys employees now informally discuss the sale of Emerys common stock and how it will affect their jobs. Required: Is Gus Swansons discussion with the team about the prospective sale of Emery unethical? Discuss, citing specific standards from the code of ethical conduct to support your position. (CMA adapted)arrow_forwardJohn Biggs and Patty Jorgenson are both cost accounting managers for a manufacturing division. During lunch yesterday, Patty told John that she was planning on quitting her job in three months because she had accepted a position as controller of a small company in a neighboring state. The starting date was timed to coincide with the retirement of the current controller. Patty was excited because it allowed her to live near her family. Today, the divisional controller took John to lunch and informed him that he was taking a position at headquarters and that he had recommended that Patty be promoted to his position. He indicated to John that it was a close call between him and Patty and that he wanted to let John know personally about the decision before it was announced officially. Required: What should John do? Describe how you would deal with his ethical dilemma (considering the IMA code of ethics in your response).arrow_forward
- Reggie Wilmore has just started a new businessbuilding and installing custom garage organization systems. Reggie builds the cabinets and work benches in his workshop, then installs them in clients garages. Reggie figures his overhead for the coming year will be 12,000. Since his business is labor intensive, he plans to use direct labor hours as his overhead driver. For the coming year, he expects to complete 100 jobs, averaging 25 direct labor hours each. However, he has the capacity to complete 125 jobs averaging 25 direct labor hours each. Required: 1. Four measures of activity level were mentioned in the text. Which two measures is Reggie considering in computing a predetermined overhead rate? 2. Compute the predetermined overhead rates using each of the measures in your answer to Requirement 1. 3. Which one would you recommend that Reggie use? Why?arrow_forwardThe controller for Muir Companys Salem plant is analyzing overhead in order to determine appropriate drivers for use in flexible budgeting. She decided to concentrate on the past 12 months since that time period was one in which there was little important change in technology, product lines, and so on. Data on overhead costs, number of machine hours, number of setups, and number of purchase orders are in the following table. Required: 1. Calculate an overhead rate based on machine hours using the total overhead cost and total machine hours. (Round the overhead rate to the nearest cent and predicted overhead to the nearest dollar.) Use this rate to predict overhead for each of the 12 months. 2. Run a regression equation using only machine hours as the independent variable. Prepare a flexible budget for overhead for the 12 months using the results of this regression equation. (Round the intercept and x-coefficient to the nearest cent and predicted overhead to the nearest dollar.) Is this flexible budget better than the budget in Requirement 1? Why or why not?arrow_forwardMott Company recently implemented a JIT manufacturing system. After one year of operation, Heidi Burrows, president of the company, wanted to compare product cost under the JIT system with product cost under the old system. Motts two products are weed eaters and lawn edgers. The unit prime costs under the old system are as follows: Under the old manufacturing system, the company operated three service centers and two production departments. Overhead was applied using departmental overhead rates. The direct overhead costs associated with each department for the year preceding the installation of JIT are as follows: Under the old system, the overhead costs of the service departments were allocated directly to the producing departments and then to the products passing through them. (Both products passed through each producing department.) The overhead rate for the Machining Department was based on machine hours, and the overhead rate for assembly was based on direct labor hours. During the last year of operations for the old system, the Machining Department used 80,000 machine hours, and the Assembly Department used 20,000 direct labor hours. Each weed eater required 1.0 machine hour in Machining and 0.25 direct labor hour in Assembly. Each lawn edger required 2.0 machine hours in Machining and 0.5 hour in Assembly. Bases for allocation of the service costs are as follows: Upon implementing JIT, a manufacturing cell for each product was created to replace the departmental structure. Each cell occupied 40,000 square feet. Maintenance and materials handling were both decentralized to the cell level. Essentially, cell workers were trained to operate the machines in each cell, assemble the components, maintain the machines, and move the partially completed units from one point to the next within the cell. During the first year of the JIT system, the company produced and sold 20,000 weed eaters and 30,000 lawn edgers. This output was identical to that for the last year of operations under the old system. The following costs have been assigned to the manufacturing cells: Required: 1. Compute the unit cost for each product under the old manufacturing system. 2. Compute the unit cost for each product under the JIT system. 3. Which of the unit costs is more accurate? Explain. Include in your explanation a discussion of how the computational approaches differ. 4. Calculate the decrease in overhead costs under JIT, and provide some possible reasons that explain the decrease.arrow_forward
- Managerial Accounting: The Cornerstone of Busines...AccountingISBN:9781337115773Author:Maryanne M. Mowen, Don R. Hansen, Dan L. HeitgerPublisher:Cengage LearningFinancial And Managerial AccountingAccountingISBN:9781337902663Author:WARREN, Carl S.Publisher:Cengage Learning,Managerial AccountingAccountingISBN:9781337912020Author:Carl Warren, Ph.d. Cma William B. TaylerPublisher:South-Western College Pub
- Cornerstones of Cost Management (Cornerstones Ser...AccountingISBN:9781305970663Author:Don R. Hansen, Maryanne M. MowenPublisher:Cengage LearningAuditing: A Risk Based-Approach (MindTap Course L...AccountingISBN:9781337619455Author:Karla M Johnstone, Audrey A. Gramling, Larry E. RittenbergPublisher:Cengage LearningPrinciples of Accounting Volume 2AccountingISBN:9781947172609Author:OpenStaxPublisher:OpenStax College