Managerial Accounting: Creating Value in a Dynamic Business Environment
11th Edition
ISBN: 9781259569562
Author: Ronald W Hilton Proffesor Prof, David Platt
Publisher: McGraw-Hill Education
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Textbook Question
Chapter 5, Problem 51P
John Patrick has recently been hired as controller of Valdosta Vinyl Company (VVC), a manufacturer of vinyl siding used in residential construction. VVC has been in the vinyl siding business for many years and is currently investigating ways to modernize its manufacturing process. At the first staff meeting Patrick attended. Jack Kielshesky, chief engineer, presented a proposal for automating the Molding Department. Kielshesky recommended that the company purchase two robots that would have the capability of replacing the eight direct-labor employees in the department. The cost savings outlined in the proposal include the elimination of direct-labor cost in the Molding Department plus a reduction of
Kielshesky responded by saying “I’m an engineer, not an accountant. But if we’re charging overhead on the basis of direct labor, and we eliminate the labor, then we eliminate the overhead.”
Patrick agreed with the president. He explained that as firms become more automated, they should rethink their product-costing systems. The president then asked Patrick to look into the matter and prepare a report for the next staff meeting. Patrick gathered the following data on the manufacturing-overhead rates experienced by VVC over the years. Patrick also wanted to have some departmental data to present at the meeting and, by using VVC’s accounting records, he was able to estimate the following annual averages for each manufacturing department over the five decades since VVC’s formation.
Required:
- 1. Disregarding the proposed use of robots in the Molding Department, describe the shortcomings of the system for applying overhead that is currently used by Valdosta Vinyl Company.
- 2. Explain the misconceptions underlying Kielshesky’s statement that the manufacturing-overhead cost in the Molding Department will be reduced to zero if the automation proposal is implemented.
- 3. Recommend ways to improve VVC’s method for applying overhead by describing how it should revise its product-costing system for each of the following departments:
- a. In the Cutting and Finishing Departments.
- b. To accommodate automation in the Molding Department.
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John Patrick has recently been hired as controller of Valdosta Vinyl Company (VVC), a manufacturer of vinyl siding used in residential construction. VVC has been in the vinyl siding business form any year sand is currently investigating ways to modernize its manufacturing process. At the first staff meeting Patrick attended, Jack Kielshesky , chief engineer, presented a proposal for automating the Molding Department. Kielshesky recommended that the company purchase two robots that would have the capability of replacing the eight direct-labor employees in the department. The cost savings outlined in the proposal include the elimination of direct-labor cost in the Molding Department plus a reduction of manufacturing overhead cost in the department to zero, because VVC charges manufacturing overhead on the basis of direct-labor dollars using a plant wide rate. The president of VVC was puzzled by Kielshesky's explanation: “This just doesn't make any sense. How can a department’s overhead…
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Chapter 5 Solutions
Managerial Accounting: Creating Value in a Dynamic Business Environment
Ch. 5 - Briefly explain how a traditional, volume-based...Ch. 5 - Prob. 2RQCh. 5 - Explain how an activity-based costing system...Ch. 5 - What are cost drivers? What is their role in an...Ch. 5 - List and briefly describe the four broad...Ch. 5 - How can an activity-based costing system alleviate...Ch. 5 - Prob. 7RQCh. 5 - How is the distinction between direct and indirect...Ch. 5 - Explain the concept of a pool rate in...Ch. 5 - Briefly explain two factors that tend to result in...
Ch. 5 - List three factors that are important in selecting...Ch. 5 - Prob. 12RQCh. 5 - Explain why a new product-costing system may be...Ch. 5 - Prob. 14RQCh. 5 - Are activity-based costing systems appropriate for...Ch. 5 - Explain why maintaining their medical-services...Ch. 5 - How could the administration at Immunity Medical...Ch. 5 - Prob. 18RQCh. 5 - Prob. 19RQCh. 5 - What is meant by the term activity analysis? Give...Ch. 5 - Prob. 21RQCh. 5 - What is meant by customer-profitability analysis?...Ch. 5 - Explain the relationship between customer profit...Ch. 5 - What is a customer profitability profile?Ch. 5 - Describe the use of practical capacity in a TDABC...Ch. 5 - Tioga Company manufactures sophisticated lenses...Ch. 5 - Urban Elite Cosmetics has used a traditional cost...Ch. 5 - Kentaro Corporation manufactures Digital Video...Ch. 5 - Kentaro Corporation manufactures Digital Video...Ch. 5 - Prob. 31ECh. 5 - Refer to the description given for Wheelco, Inc....Ch. 5 - Prob. 33ECh. 5 - United Technologies Corporation implemented...Ch. 5 - Redwood Company sells craft kits and supplies to...Ch. 5 - Non-value-added costs occur in nonmanufacturing...Ch. 5 - Since you have always wanted to be an...Ch. 5 - Prob. 39ECh. 5 - Prob. 42ECh. 5 - Big Apple Design Company specializes in designing...Ch. 5 - Prob. 44ECh. 5 - Borealis Manufacturing has just completed a major...Ch. 5 - Ontario, Inc. manufactures two products, Standard...Ch. 5 - Kitchen Kings Toledo plant manufactures three...Ch. 5 - Prob. 48PCh. 5 - Maxey Sons manufactures two types of storage...Ch. 5 - Prob. 50PCh. 5 - John Patrick has recently been hired as controller...Ch. 5 - The controller for Tulsa Medical Supply Company...Ch. 5 - Prob. 53PCh. 5 - Prob. 54PCh. 5 - Prob. 55PCh. 5 - World Gourmet Coffee Company (WGCC) is a...Ch. 5 - Knickknack, Inc. manufactures two products: Odds...Ch. 5 - Prob. 58PCh. 5 - Marconi Manufacturing produces two items in its...Ch. 5 - Gigabyte, Inc. manufactures three products for the...Ch. 5 - Refer to the new target prices for Gigabytes three...Ch. 5 - Prob. 62PCh. 5 - Better Bagels, Inc. manufactures a variety of...Ch. 5 - Midwest Home Furnishings Corporation (MHFC)...Ch. 5 - Fresno Fiber Optics, Inc. manufactures fiber optic...Ch. 5 - Refer to the information given in the preceding...Ch. 5 - Whitestone Company produces two subassemblies,...Ch. 5 - Morelli Electric Motor Corporation manufactures...Ch. 5 - Refer to the product costs developed in...Ch. 5 - Morelli Electric Motor Corporations controller,...
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