Concept explainers
Material-cost variances, use of variances for performance evaluation. Katharine Johnson is the owner of Best Bikes, a company that produces high-quality cross-country bicycles. Best Bikes participates in a supply chain that consists of suppliers, manufacturers, distributors, and elite bicycle shops. For several years Best Bikes has purchased titanium from suppliers in the supply chain. Best Bikes uses titanium for the bicycle frames because it is stronger and lighter than other metals and therefore increases the quality of the bicycle. Earlier this year, Best Bikes hired Michael Bentfield, a recent graduate from State University, as purchasing manager. Michael believed that he could reduce costs if he purchased titanium from an online marketplace at a lower price.
Best Bikes established the following standards based upon the company’s experience with previous suppliers. The standards are as follows:
Cost of titanium | $18 per pound |
Titanium used per bicycle | 8 lbs. |
Actual results for the first month using the online supplier of titanium are as follows:
Bicycles produced | 400 |
Titanium purchased | 5,200 lb. for $88,400 |
Titanium used in production | 4,700 lb. |
- 1. Compute the direct materials price and efficiency variances.
Required
- 2. What factors can explain the variances identified in requirement 1? Could any other variances be affected?
- 3. Was switching suppliers a good idea for Best Bikes? Explain why or why not.
- 4. Should Michael Bentfield’s performance evaluation be based solely on price variances? Should the production manager’s evaluation be based solely on efficiency variances? Why is it important for Katharine Johnson to understand the causes of a variance before she evaluates performance?
- 5. Other than performance evaluation what reasons are there for calculating variances?
- 6. What future problems could result from Best Bikes’ decision to buy a lower quality of titanium from the online marketplace?
Want to see the full answer?
Check out a sample textbook solutionChapter 7 Solutions
COST ACCOUNTING
- Use of materials and manufacturing labor variances for benchmarking. You are a new junior accountant at In Focus Corporation, maker of lenses for eyeglasses. Your company sells generic-quality lenses for a moderate price. Your boss, the controller, has given you the latest month’s report for the lens trade association. This report includes information related to operations for your rm and three of your competitors within the trade association. The report also includes information related to the industry benchmark for each line item in the report. You do not know which rm is which, except that you know you are Firm A.arrow_forwardRouse manufactures coffee mugs that it sells to other companies for customizing with their own logos. Rouse prepares flexible budgets and uses a standard cost system to control manufacturing costs. The standard unit cost of a coffee mug is based on static budge volume of 59,700 coffee mugs per month: Requirement 1. Compute the cost and efficiency variances for direct materials and direct labor. Begin with the cost variances Select the required formulas, compute the cost variances for direct materials and direct labor and identify whether each variance is favorable (F) or unfavorable (U). (Abbreviations used AC = actualco cost AQ = actual quantity, FOH = fixed overheard; SC = standard cost; SQ= standard quantity.)arrow_forwardPat James, the purchasing agent for a local plant of the Oakden Electronics Division, was considering the possible purchase of a component from a new supplier. The component’s purchase price, $0.90, compared favorably with the standard price of $1.10. Given the quantity that would be purchased, Pat knew that the favorable price variance would help to offset an unfavorable variance for another component. By offsetting the unfavorable variance, his overall performance report would be impressive and good enough to help him qualify for the annual bonus. More importantly, a good performance rating this year would help him to secure a position at division headquarters at a significant salary increase. Purchase of the part, however, presented Pat with a dilemma. Consistent with his past behavior, Pat made inquiries regarding the reliability of the new supplier and the part’s quality. Reports were basically negative. The supplier had a reputation for making the first two or three deliveries on…arrow_forward
- at James, the purchasing agent for a local plant of the Oakden Electronics Division, was considering the possible purchase of a component from a new supplier. The component’s purchase price, $0.90, compared favorably with the standard price of $1.10. Given the quantity that would be purchased, Pat knew that the favorable price variance would help to offset an unfavorable variance for another component. By offsetting the unfavorable variance, his overall performance report would be impressive and good enough to help him qualify for the annual bonus. More importantly, a good performance rating this year would help him to secure a position at division headquarters at a significant salary increase.Purchase of the part, however, presented Pat with a dilemma. Consistent with his past behavior, Pat made inquiries regarding the reliability of the new supplier and the part’s quality. Reports were basically negative. The supplier had a reputation for making the first two or three deliveries…arrow_forwardRefer to the information for Cinturon Corporation on the previous page. Required: 1. Break down the total variance for labor into a rate variance and an efficiency variance using the columnar and formula approaches. 2. CONCEPTUAL CONNECTION As part of the investigation of the unfavorable variances, the plant manager interviews the production manager. The production manager complains strongly about the quality of the leather strips. He indicates that the strips are of lower quality than usual and that workers have to be more careful to avoid a belt with cracks and more time is required. Also, even with extra care, many belts have to be discarded and new ones produced to replace the rejects. This replacement work has also produced some overtime demands. What corrective action should the plant manager take?arrow_forwardEd Co. manufactures two types of O rings, large and small. Both rings use the same material but require different amounts. Standard materials for both are shown. At the beginning of the month, Edve Co. bought 25,000 feet of rubber for $6.875. The company made 3,000 large O rings and 4,000 small O rings. The company used 14,500 feet of rubber. A. What are the direct materials price variance, the direct materials quantity variance, and the total direct materials cost variance? B. If they bought 10,000 connectors costing $310, what would the direct materials price variance be for the connectors? C. If there was an unfavorable direct materials price variance of $125, how much did they pay per toot for the rubber?arrow_forward
- Iliff, Inc., produces and sells two types of countertop ovensthe toaster oven and the convection oven. Budgeted and actual data for the two models are shown below. Budgeted Amounts: Actual Amounts: Required: 1. Calculate the contribution margin variance. 2. What if actual units sold of the convection oven decreased? How would that affect the contribution margin variance? What if actual units sold of the convection oven increased? How would that affect the contribution margin variance?arrow_forwardSommers Company uses the following rule to determine whether materials usage variances should be investigated: A materials usage variance will be investigated anytime the amount exceeds the lesser of 12,000 or 10% of the standard cost. Reports for the past 5 weeks provided the following information: Required: 1. Using the rule provided, identify the cases that will be investigated. 2. CONCEPTUAL CONNECTION Suppose investigation reveals that the cause of an unfavorable materials usage variance is the use of lower-quality materials than are normally used. Who is responsible? What corrective action would likely be taken? 3. CONCEPTUAL CONNECTION Suppose investigation reveals that the cause of a significant unfavorable materials usage variance is attributable to a new approach to manufacturing that takes less labor time but causes more material waste. Examination of the labor efficiency variance reveals that it is favorable and larger than the unfavorable materials usage variance. Who is responsible? What action should be taken?arrow_forwardVet-Pro, Inc., produces a veterinary grade anti-anxiety mixture for pets with behavioral problems. Two chemical solutions, Aranol and Lendyl, are mixed and heated to produce a chemical that is sold to companies that produce the anti-anxiety pills. The mixture is produced in batches and has the following standards: During March, the following actual production information was provided: Required: 1. Compute the direct materials mix and yield variances. 2. Compute the total direct materials usage variance for Aranol and Lendyl. Show that the total direct materials usage variance is equal to the sum of the direct materials mix and yield variances.arrow_forward
- Which of the following is the most likely explanation for an unfavorable materials usage variance and a favorable labor wage variance? a. The new labor contract increased wages. b. Higher quality materials were purchased, resulting in less waste. c. The company experience labor turnover and newer, less experienced workers were hired. d. A new supplier offered a lower price for materials.arrow_forwardIliff, Inc., produces and sells two types of countertop ovensthe toaster oven and the convection oven. Budgeted and actual data for the two models are shown below. Budgeted Amounts: Actual Amounts: Required: 1. Calculate the budgeted average unit contribution margin. 2. Calculate the contribution margin variance. 3. What if actual units sold of the convection oven decreased? How would that affect the contribution margin variance? What if actual units sold of the convection oven increased? How would that affect the contribution margin variance?arrow_forwardDog Bone Bakery, which bakes dog treats, makes a special biscuit for dogs. Each biscuit uses 0.75 cup of pure semolina flour. They buy 4,000 cups of flour at $0.55 per cup. They use 3,550 cups of flour to make 4,750 biscuits. The standard cost per cup of flour is $0.53. A. What are the direct materials price variance, the direct materials quantity variances, and the total direct materials cost variance? B. What is the standard cost per biscuit for the semolina flour?arrow_forward
- Managerial Accounting: The Cornerstone of Busines...AccountingISBN:9781337115773Author:Maryanne M. Mowen, Don R. Hansen, Dan L. HeitgerPublisher:Cengage LearningPrinciples of Cost AccountingAccountingISBN:9781305087408Author:Edward J. Vanderbeck, Maria R. MitchellPublisher:Cengage LearningPrinciples of Accounting Volume 2AccountingISBN:9781947172609Author:OpenStaxPublisher:OpenStax College
- Cornerstones of Cost Management (Cornerstones Ser...AccountingISBN:9781305970663Author:Don R. Hansen, Maryanne M. MowenPublisher:Cengage Learning