Limiting Factors and Throughput Accounting

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1. Explain the nature of CVP analysis.

2. Calculate and interpret breakeven point and margin of safety.
3. Discuss the limitations of CVP analysis for planning and decision making.
4. Identify limiting factors in a scarce resource situation and select an appropriate
technique.
5. Determine the optimal production plan where an organization is restricted by a single
limiting factor.
6. Explain the concept of optimized production technology.
7. Explain the theory of constraints.
8. Explain the concept of throughput accounting.
9. Calculate and interpret a throughput accounting ratio (TPAR).
10. Compare the techniques of limiting factors and throughput accounting in the
determination of optimal production.

O p tim a l
P ro d u c tio n
P la n

C o st CV P L im itin g T h ro u g h p u t C o m p a riso n o f
B e h a v io u r f o r S i n g le F a c to rs A c c o u n tin g lim itin g fa c to rs
P ro d u t a n d th ro u g h p u t
a c c o u n tin g

R a n k p ro d u c tio n O p tim iz e d T h e o ry T h ro u g h p u t
b y c o n tr ib u t io n P ro d u c tio n of A c c o u n tin g
p e r lim itin g fa c to r T e c h n o lo g y C o n stra in ts R a t io

BEA SPECIAL ICA CLASS- ADAM ALIU 1

1. Cost Behaivour
(Dec 12)
1.1 Fixed costs refer to costs which are unchanged despite a change in activity level
within a relevant range, e.g. rent, depreciation and administrative costs.
1.2 Variable costs refer to costs which change with activity level, e.g. direct materials and
direct labour.
1.3 Mixed costs (semi-variable costs) consist of both fixed and variable portions.
Salaries and wages, telephone, utilities, etc.

Case 1
AAT Café operates a restaurant in Kowloon. It maintains a good transaction processing
system and has the following record regarding costs at different levels of monthly sales in
number of guests served.

Year 2011
April May June
Monthly Sales in number of Guests Served 5,000 8,000 10,000
HK$ HK$ HK$
Cost of sales (Food cost) 210,000 336,000 420,000
Salaries, wages, and benefits 150,000 156,000 160,000
Telephone 1,275 1,635 1,875
Rent on the shop 96,000 96,000 96,000
Depreciation on equipment 12,000 12,000 12,000
Utilities 25,000 32,500 37,500
Maintenance and repairs 10,000 14,800 18,000
Administrative costs 52,000 52,000 52,000

Though the café is small, the owner of AAT Café Sammy Yan has a good management
accounting system. To better the manage the costs, Sammy separates the costs into fixed
costs and variable costs. After that, she makes use of a cost equation to predict the cost
behaviour and formulate the prices of the products. In addition, she is aware of the
importance of strategic management techniques.

One of the popular foods offered by AAT Café is roast goose. AAT prepares roast geese in its
kitchen. A fresh goose costs HK$250, after special treatment and the roasting process, it is
sold in café for HK$400. Detailed studies give the following information for the costs of a
goose:

BEA SPECIAL ICA CLASS- ADAM ALIU 2

 HK$
Energy 25
Staff 10
Depreciation 25
Ingredients 15
Rent 15

Due to accelerating operating costs, Sammy is considering to outsource the preparation of

the roast geese to an external vendor. If it is outsourced, energy and ingredient costs can be
saved. Since the related equipment cannot be sold immediately, depreciation cannot be
reduced. In addition, the rent for the storage of equipment and for raw and finished geese
will remain the same. Staff will be deployed to perform other duties.

Question 1 (29 marks – approximately 52 minutes)

(a) Explain the meaning of fixed cost and variable cost. Based on the given information,
state which are the fixed costs and variable costs, and their respective amounts for AAT
Café in April 2011. (5 marks)
(b) Explain the meaning of mixed costs. Based on the given information, state the mixed
costs and their values for AAT Café in April 2011. (4 marks)
(c) Using the results from parts (a) and (b), work out a linear cost equation based on the
number of guests. Show your working clearly. (10 marks)
(d) What is the total cost in a month if the number of guests is 15,000? Provide TWO
assumptions in this calculation and show your working clearly. (5 marks)
(e) State THREE techniques commonly used by management accountants in the strategic
management accounting framework. (5 marks)

Question 2 (11 marks – approximately 20 minutes)

Many caterers face accelerating food costs and labour costs. To cope with such inflation,
outsourcing and centralized processing are two important trends in the catering business.

(a) If a vendor offers to supply finished roasted geese at HK$260 each, justify whether this
is a good deal. Show your calculations. (7 marks)
(b) State ONE qualitative reason to support outsourcing and TWO qualitative reasons to
object outsourcing. (4 marks)

BEA SPECIAL ICA CLASS- ADAM ALIU 3

 (HKIAAT PBE Paper II Management Accounting and Finance December 2012)

2. Basic CVP Analysis for Single Product

2.1 Breakeven analysis

(Dec 11, Jun 14, Dec 15)

2.1.1 Formulae

(a) Contribution per unit = unit selling price – unit variable costs

(b) Breakeven point = activity level at which there is neither profit nor loss
Total fixed cos ts
= Contribution per unit

(c) Contribution/sales (C/S) ratio = profit/volume (P/V) ratio

Contribution
=  100%
Sales

(d) Sales revenue at breakeven point = fixed costs ÷ C/S ratio

(e) Margin of safety (in units) = budgeted sales units – breakeven sales units

Budgeted sales – breakeven sales

(f) Margin of safety (as %) × 100%
Budgeted sales

Fixed cost + target profit

(g) Sales volume to achieve a target profit
Contribution per unit

BEA SPECIAL ICA CLASS- ADAM ALIU 4

Question 1
A company manufactures a single product which has the following cost structure based on a
production budget of 10,000 units.

Materials – 4 kg at $3/kg $12

Direct labour – 5 hours at $7/hour $35

Variable production overheads are recovered at the rate of $8 per direct labour hour.

Other costs incurred by the company are:

$
Factory fixed overheads 120,000
Selling and distribution overheads 160,000
Fixed administration overheads 80,000

The selling and distribution overheads include a variable element due to a distribution cost of
$2 per unit.

The fixed selling price of the unit is $129.

Required:

(a) Calculate how many units have to be sold for the company to breakeven.

(b) Calculate the sales revenue which would give a net profit of $40,000.

(c) If the company could buy in the units instead of manufacturing them, calculate how
much it would be prepared to pay if both:

(i) estimated sales for next year are 9,500 units at $129 each; and

(ii) $197,500 of fixed selling, distribution and administrative overheads would still be
incurred even if there is no production (all other fixed overheads would be saved).

BEA SPECIAL ICA CLASS- ADAM ALIU 5

2.2 The Graphical Approach for Single Product

2.2.1 The second way to find the break-even is to use the graphical method. The graphical
method is based on the break-even chart, a graphical representation of cost-volume-
profit relationships and the break-even point. It is an attempt to help management in
their understanding of these relationships and so enable them to decide on the
optimum level of output.

2.2.2 Example 1
A new product has the following sales and cost data.

Selling price $60 per unit

Variable costs $40 per unit
Fixed costs $25,000 per month

Forecast sales 1,800 units per month

Required:
Prepare a breakeven chart using the above data.

Solution:

BEA SPECIAL ICA CLASS- ADAM ALIU 6

2.3 Limitations and advantages of CVP Analysis

2.3.1 The usefulness of CVP analysis is restricted by its unrealistic assumptions, such as
constant sales price at all levels of activity. However CVP has the advantage of being
more easily understood by non-financial managers due to its graphical depiction of
cost and revenue data.
2.3.2 Limitations:
(a) It is assumed that fixed costs are the same in total and variable costs are the
same per unit at all levels of output. This assumption is a great simplification.
(i) Fixed costs will change if output falls or increases substantially (most
fixed costs are step costs).
(ii) The variable cost per unit will decrease where economies of scale are
made at higher output volumes, but the variable cost per unit will also
eventually rise when diseconomies of scale begin to appear at even
higher volumes of output (for example the extra cost of labour in
overtime working).

(b) The assumption is only correct within a normal range or relevant range of
output. It is generally assumed that both the budgeted output and the breakeven
point lie within this relevant range.
(c) It is assumed that sales prices will be constant at all levels of activity. This
may not be true, especially at higher volumes of output, where the price may
have to be reduced to win the extra sales.
(d) Production and sales are assumed to be the same, so that the consequences
of any increase in inventory levels or of 'de-stocking' are ignored.
(e) Uncertainty in the estimates of fixed costs and unit variable costs is often
ignored.
2.3.3 Advantages:
(a) Graphical representation of cost and revenue data (breakeven charts) can be
more easily understood by non-financial managers.
(b) A breakeven model enables profit or loss at any level of activity within the
range for which the model is valid to be determined, and the C/S ratio can
indicate the relative profitability of different products.
BEA SPECIAL ICA CLASS- ADAM ALIU 7
 (c) Highlighting the breakeven point and the margin of safety gives managers
some indication of the level of risk involved.

3. Limiting Factors
(Jun 11, Dec 15)

3.1 Limiting Factors

A limiting factor is any factor that is in scarce supply and that stops the organisation
from expanding its activities further, that is, it limits the organisations activities.

3.2 An organisation might be faced with just one limiting factor (other than maximum
sales demand) but there might also be several scarce resources, with two or more of
them putting an effective limit on the level of activity that can be achieved.
3.3 Examples of limiting factors include sales demand and production constraints.
(a) Labour. The limit may be either in terms of total quantity or of particular
skills.
(b) Materials. There may be insufficient available materials to produce enough
units to satisfy sales demand.
(c) Manufacturing capacity. There may not be sufficient machine capacity for
the production required to meet sales demand.
3.4 It is assumed in limiting factor analysis that management would make a product mix
decision or service mix decision based on the option that would maximise profit and
that profit is maximized when contribution is maximised (given no change in fixed
cost expenditure incurred). In other words, marginal costing ideas are applied.
(a) Contribution will be maximised by earning the biggest possible
contribution per unit of limiting factor. For example if grade A labour is the
limiting factor, contribution will be maximised by earning the biggest
contribution per hour of grade A labour worked.
(b) The limiting factor decision therefore involves the determination of the
contribution earned per unit of limiting factor by each different product.
(c) If the sales demand is limited, the profit-maximising decision will be to
produce the topranked product(s) up to the sales demand limit.
3.5 In limiting factor decisions, we generally assume that fixed costs are the same
whatever product or service mix is selected, so that the only relevant costs are variable
costs.
3.6 When there is just one limiting factor, the technique for establishing the contribution-
BEA SPECIAL ICA CLASS- ADAM ALIU 8
 maximising product mix or service mix is to rank the products or services in order
of contribution-earning ability per unit of limiting factor.

3.7 Example 2
Sausage makes two products, the Mash and the Sauce. Unit variable costs are as
follows.
Mash Sauce
$ $
Direct materials 1 3
Direct labour ($3 per hour) 6 3
Variable overhead 1 1
8 7

The sales price per unit is $14 per Mash and $11 per Sauce. During July the available
direct labour is limited to 8,000 hours. Sales demand in July is expected to be as
follows.
Mash 3,000 units
Sauce 5,000 units

Required:

Determine the production budget that will maximize profit, assuming that fixed costs
per month are $20,000 and that there is no opening inventory of finished goods or
work in progress.

Solution:

1. Determine the limiting factor

Mash Sauces Total
Labour hours per unit 2 hrs 1 hr
Sales demand 3,000 units 5,000 units
Labour hours needed 6,000 hrs 5,000 hrs 11,000 hrs
Labour hours available 8,000 hrs
Shortfall 3,000 hrs

Labour is the limiting factor on production.

BEA SPECIAL ICA CLASS- ADAM ALIU 9

2. Identify the contribution earned by each product per unit of scarce resource, that is,
per labour hour worked.

Mash Sauce
$ $
Sales price 14 11
Variable cost 8 7
Unit contribution 6 4
Labour hour per unit 2 hrs 1 hr
Contribution per labour hour (= per unit of
limiting factor) $3 $4
Ranking 2 1

3. Determine the budgeted production and sales.

Product Units Hours Contribution Total
needed per unit
$ $
Sauces 5,000 5,000 4 20,000
Mashes (Bal.) 1,500 3,000 6 9,000
8,000 29,000
Less: fixed costs 20,000
Profit 9,000

Conclusion:
(1) Unit contribution is not the correct way to decide priorities.
(2) Labour hours are the scarce resource, therefore contribution per labour hour is
the correct way to decide priorities.
(3) The Sauce earns $4 contribution per labour hour, and the Mash earns $3
contribution per labour hour. Sauces therefore make more profitable use of the
scarce resource, and should be manufactured first.

BEA SPECIAL ICA CLASS- ADAM ALIU 10

4. Throughput Accounting (產量會計 )

4.1 Optimized production technology (OPT)

4.1.1 During the 1980s Goldratt and Cox (1984) advocated a new approach to production
management called OPT. OPT is based on the principle that profits are expanded by
increasing the throughput of the plant. The OPT approach determines what prevents
throughput being higher by distinguishing bottleneck and non-bottleneck resources.
4.1.2 A bottleneck might be a machine whose capacity limits the throughput of the whole
production process. The aim is to identify bottlenecks and remove them or, if this is
not possible, ensure that they are fully utilized at all times.
4.1.3 Non-bottleneck resources should be scheduled and operated based on constraints
within the system, and should not be used to produce more than the bottlenecks
can absorb. The OPT philosophy therefore advocates that non-bottleneck resources
should not be utilized to 100% of their capacity, since this would merely result in
an increase in inventory.

4.2 Theory of constraints

4.2.1 Goldratt and Cox (1992) describe the process of maximizing operating profit when
faced with bottleneck and non-bottleneck operations as the theory of constraints
(TOC).
4.2.2 The TOC aims to increase throughput contribution while simultaneously reducing
inventory and operational expenses. However, the scope for reducing the latter is
limited since they must be maintained at some minimum level for production to take
place at all. In other words, operational expenses are assumed to be fixed costs.
4.2.3 The TOC adopts a short-run time horizon and treats all operating expenses
(including direct labour but excluding direct materials) as fixed, thus implying that
variable costing should be used for decision-making, profit measurement and
inventory valuation.
4.2.4 It emphasizes the management of bottleneck activities as the key to improving
performance by focusing on the short-run maximization of throughput contribution.

BEA SPECIAL ICA CLASS- ADAM ALIU 11

4.2.5 Example 3 – Illustration of the TOC
Machine X can process 1,000 kg of raw material per hour, machine Y 800 kg. Of an
input of 900 kg, 100 kg of processed material must wait on the bottleneck machine
(machine Y) at the end of an hour of processing.

The traditional view is that machines should be working, not sitting idle. So if the
desired output from the above process were 8,100 kgs, machine X would be kept in
continual use and all 8,100 kgs would be processed through the machine in nine
hours. There would be a backlog of 900 kgs [8,100 – (9 hrs × 800)] of processed
material in front of machine Y, however. All this material would require handling
and storage space and create the additional costs related to these non-value added
activities. Its processing would not increase throughput contribution.

4.3 Throughput Accounting (TA)

4.3.1 Galloway and Waldron (1988) advocate an approach called throughput accounting to
apply the TOC philosophy.

4.3.2 Throughout Accounting

Throughput accounting is a product management system which aims to maximise

throughput, and therefore cash generation from sales, rather than profit. A just
in time (JIT) environment is operated, with buffer inventory kept only when there
is a bottleneck resource.

4.3.3 TA for JIT is said to be based on three concepts.

(a) Concept 1
In the short run, most costs in the factory (with the exception of materials

BEA SPECIAL ICA CLASS- ADAM ALIU 12

 costs) are fixed (the opposite of ABC, which assumes that all costs are
variable). These fixed costs include direct labour. It is useful to group all
these costs together and call them Total Factory Costs (TFC).
(b) Concept 2
In a JIT environment, all inventory is a 'bad thing' and the ideal inventory
level is zero. Products should not be made unless a customer has ordered
them. When goods are made, the factory effectively operates at the rate of the
slowest process, and there will be unavoidable idle capacity in other
operations.

Work in progress should be valued at material cost only until the output is
eventually sold, so that no value will be added and no profit earned until the
sale takes place. Working on output just to add to work in progress or finished
goods inventory creates no profit, and so should not be encouraged.
(c) Concept 3
Profitability is determined by the rate at which 'money comes in at the door'
(that is, sales are made) and, in a JIT environment, this depends on how
quickly goods can be produced to satisfy customer orders. Since the goal of
a profit-orientated organisation is to make money, inventory must be sold for
that goal to be achieved. The bottleneck resource slows the process of making
money.

4.3.4 Throughout Accounting and Decision Making

In a throughput environment, production priority must be given to the products best

able to generate throughput, that is those products that maximize throughput per
unit of bottleneck resource.

The TA ratio can be used to assess the relative earning capabilities of different
products and hence can help with decision making.

Return per factory hour

TA ratio =
Total conversion cost per factory hour
Where:
Sales – direct material costs
Return per factory hour = Usage of bottleneck resource in hours
(factory hours)

BEA SPECIAL ICA CLASS- ADAM ALIU 13

 Total conversion cost Total factory
=
per factory hour Total time available on bottleneck resource

4.3.5 Example 4 – Throughput accounting

A Ltd produces three products, X, Y and Z. The capacity of A Ltd’s plant is restricted
by process alpha. Process alpha is expected to be operational for eight hours per day
and can produce 1,200 units of X per hour, 1,500 units of Y per hour, and 600 units
of Z per hour.

Selling prices and material costs for each product are as follows.
Product Selling price Material cost Throughput contribution
$ per unit $ per unit $ per unit
X 150 80 70
Y 120 40 80
Z 300 100 200

Conversion costs are $720,000 per day.

Required:

(a) Calculate the profit per day if daily output achieved is 6,000 units of X, 4,500
units of Y and 1,200 units of Z.
(b) Calculate the TA ratio for each product.
(c) In the absence of demand restrictions for the three products, advise A Ltd’s
management on the optimal production plan.

Solution:

(a) Profit per day = throughput contribution – conversion cost

= [($70 × 6,000) + ($80 × 4,500) + ($200 × 1,200)] – $720,000
= $300,000
(b) TA ratio = throughput contribution per factory hour / conversion cost per
factory hour

BEA SPECIAL ICA CLASS- ADAM ALIU 14

 Conversion cost per factory hour = $720,000 / 8 = $90,000

Product Throughput contribution per Cost per factory TA ratio

factory hour hour
X $70 × 1,200 = $84,000 $90,000 0.93
Y $80 × 1,500 = $120,000 $90,000 1.33
Z $200 × 600 = $120,000 $90,000 1.33

(c) An attempt should be made to remove the restriction on output caused by

process alpha's capacity. This will probably result in another bottleneck
emerging elsewhere. The extra capacity required to remove the restriction
could be obtained by working overtime, making process improvements or
product specification changes. Until the volume of throughput can be
increased, output should be concentrated upon products Y and Z (greatest TA
ratios), unless there are good marketing reasons for continuing the current
production mix.

Product X is losing money every time it is produced so, unless there are good
reasons why it is being produced, for example it has only just been introduced
and is expected to become more profitable, A Ltd should consider ceasing
production of X.

4.3.6 How can a business improve a throughput accounting ratio?

Measures Consequences
 Increase sales price per unit  Demand for the product may fall
 Reduce material cost per unit, e.g.  Quality may fall and bulk discounts
change materials and/or suppliers may be lost
 Reduce operating expenses  Quality may fall and/or errors
increase

4.3.7 Throughput and limiting factor analysis

The throughput approach is very similar to the approach of maximising

contribution per unit of scarce resource. Throughput is defined as sales less
material costs whereas contribution is defied as sales less all variable costs.

BEA SPECIAL ICA CLASS- ADAM ALIU 15

Throughput assumes that all costs except materials are fixed in the short run.

BEA SPECIAL ICA CLASS- ADAM ALIU 16

 Additional Examination Style Questions

Question 2
Yam Co is involved in the processing of sheet metal into products A, B and C using three
processes, pressing, stretching and rolling. Like many businesses Yam faces tough price
competition in what is a mature world market.

The factory has 50 production lines each of which contain the three processes: Raw material
for the sheet metal is first pressed then stretched and finally rolled. The processing capacity
varies for each process and the factory manager has provided the following data:

Processing time per metre in hours

Product A Product B Product C
Pressing 0.50 0.50 0.40
Stretching 0.25 0.40 0.25
Rolling 0.40 0.25 0.25

The factory operates for 18 hours each day for five days per week. It is closed for only two
weeks of the year for holidays when maintenance is carried out. On average one hour of
labour is needed for each of the 225,000 hours of factory time. Labour is paid $10 per hour.

The raw materials cost per metre is $3.00 for product A, $2.50 for product B and $1.80 for
product C. Other factory costs (excluding labour and raw materials) are $18,000,000 per year.
Selling prices per metre are $70 for product A, $60 for product B and $27 for product C.

Yam carries very little inventory.

Required:

(a) Identify the bottleneck process and briefly explain why this process is described as a
‘bottleneck’. (3 marks)
(b) Calculate the throughput accounting ratio (TPAR) for each product assuming that the
bottleneck process is fully utilised. (8 marks)
(c) Assuming that the TPAR of product C is less than 1:
(i) Explain how Yam could improve the TPAR of product C. (4 marks)
(ii) Briefly discuss whether this supports the suggestion to cease the production of
product C and briefly outline three other factors that Yam should consider

BEA SPECIAL ICA CLASS- ADAM ALIU 17

 before a cessation decision is taken. (5 marks)
(Total 20 marks)
(ACCA F5 Performance Management June 2009 Q1)

Question 3
Ride Ltd is engaged in the manufacturing and marketing of bicycles. Two bicycles are
produced. These are the ‘Roadster’ which is designed for use on roads and the ‘Everest’ which
is a bicycle designed for use in mountainous areas. The following information relates to the
year ending 31 December 2005:

(1) Unit selling price and cost data is as follows:

Roadster Everest
$ $
Selling price 200 280
Material cost 80 100
Variable production conversion costs 20 60

(2) Fixed production overheads attributable to the manufacture of the bicycles will
amount to $4,050,000.
(3) Expected demand is as follows:

Roadster 150,000 units

Everest 70,000 units

(4) Each bicycle is completed in the finishing department. The number of each type of
bicycle that can be completed in one hour in the finishing department is as follows:

Roadster 6.25
Everest 5.00

There are a total of 30,000 hours available within the finishing department.
(5) Ride Ltd operates a just in time (JIT) manufacturing system with regard to the
manufacture of bicycles and aims to hold very little work-in-progress and no finished
goods stocks whatsoever.

Required:

BEA SPECIAL ICA CLASS- ADAM ALIU 18

(a) Using marginal costing principles, calculate the mix (units) of each type of bicycle
which will maximise net profit and state the value of that profit. (6 marks)
(b) Calculate the throughput accounting ratio for each type of bicycle and briefly discuss
when it is worth producing a product where throughput accounting principles are in
operation. Your answer should assume that the variable overhead cost amounting to
$4,800,000 incurred as a result of the chosen product mix in part (a) is fixed in the
short-term. (5 marks)
(c) Using throughput accounting principles, advise management of the quantities of each
type of bicycle that should be manufactured which will maximise net profit and
prepare a projection of the net profit that would be earned by Ride Ltd in the year
ending 31 December 2005. (5 marks)
(d) Explain two aspects in which the concept of ‘contribution’ in throughput accounting
differs from its use in marginal costing. (4 marks)
(Total 20 marks)
(ACCA Paper 3.3 Performance Management December 2004 Q2)

BEA SPECIAL ICA CLASS- ADAM ALIU 19