ESERCIZI

1 INVESTIGATION OF VARIANCES

Sommers 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 percent of the standard cost. Reports for the past five weeks provided the following
information:

Week MUV ($) Standard Materials Cost ($)

1 10.500 F 120,000
2 10,700 U 100,500
3 9,00 F 120,000
4 13,500 U 127,500
5 10,500 U 103,500

Required:
1. Using the rule provided, identify the cases that will be investigated.
2. 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. 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?

2 MATERIALS VARIANCES

Legumbre Company produces vegetable juices, sold in gallons.

Recently, the company adopted the following material standard for
one gallon of its tomato juice:

Direct materials (128 oz: @ $0:06) = $7:68

During the first week of operation, the company experienced the following results:
a. Gallon units produced: 20,000.
b. Ounces of materials purchased and used: 2,600,000 ounces at $0.07.
c. No beginning or ending inventories of raw materials.

Required:
1. Compute the materials price variance.
2. Compute the materials usage variance.

3 MATERIALS AND LABOR VARIANCES

At the beginning of the year, Shults Company had the following

standard cost sheet for one of its plastic products:

Direct materials (5 lbs. @ $4.00) $20.00

 Direct labor (2 hrs. @ $11.25) 22.50
Standard prime cost per unit $42.50

The actual results for the year are as follows:

a. Units produced: 175,000.
b. Materials purchased: 930,000 pounds @ $4.10.
c. Materials used: 925,000 pounds.
d. Direct labor: 362,500 hours @ $11.15.

Required:
1. Compute price and usage variances for materials.
2. Compute the labor rate and labor efficiency variances.

4 VARIANCES, EVALUATION, AND BEHAVIOR

Jackie 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, where could the other materials supplies be put that would be ordered and processed on a regular
basis? Additionally, it was a lot of capital to tie up in inventory—money that could have been used to help
finance the cash needs of the new product just coming on line.
Her interviewwith 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. 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. 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. Should Tom be fired? Explain.

5 MATERIALS AND LABOR VARIANCES

Camisa Company produces single-colored t-shirts. Materials for the shirts are dyed in large vats. After dying
the materials for a given color, the vats must be cleaned and prepared for the next batch of materials to be
colored. The following standards for changeover for a given batch have been established:

Direct materials (2.5 lbs. @ $0.90) $2.25

Direct labor (0.75 hr. @ $7.00) 5.25
Standard prime cost $7.50

During the year, 53,000 pounds of material were purchased and used for the changeover activity. There were
20,000 batches produced, with the following actual prime costs:
Direct materials $42,000
Direct labor 102,000 (for 14,900 hrs.)

Required:
Compute the materials and labor variances associated with the changeover activity, labeling each variance as
favorable or unfavorable.

6 JOURNAL ENTRIES
Refer to the data provided in Exercise 20-35.

Required:
1. Prepare a journal entry for the purchase of raw materials.
2. Prepare a journal entry for the issuance of raw materials.
3. Prepare a journal entry for the addition of labor to Work in Process.
4. Prepare a journal entry for the closing of variances to Cost of Goods Sold.

7 MATERIALS VARIANCES, JOURNAL ENTRIES

Esteban Products produces instructional aids. Among the company’s products are white boards, which use
colored markers instead of chalk. They are particularly popular for conference rooms in educational
institutions and executive offices of large corporations. The standard cost of materials for this product is 12
pounds at $8.25 per pound.
During the first month of the year, 3,200 boards were produced. Information concerning actual costs and
usage of materials follows:

Materials purchased 38,000 lbs @ $8.35

Materials used 37,500 lbs

Required:
1. Compute the materials price and usage variances.
2. Prepare journal entries for all activity relating to materials.

8 LABOR VARIANCES, JOURNAL ENTRIES

Escuchar Products, a producer of DVD players, has established a labor standard for its product—direct labor:
2 hrs at $9.65 per hour. During January, Escuchar produced 12,800 boards. The actual direct labor used was
25,040 hours at a total cost of $245,392.
Required:
1. Compute the labor rate and efficiency variances.
Prepare journal entries for all activities relating to labor.

9 SETTING STANDARDS AND ASSIGNING RESPONSIBILITY

Cabanarama Inc.designs and manufactures easy-to-set-up beach cabanas.The cabanas come in a kit that
includes canvas, lacing, and aluminum support poles. Families can easily transport the cabanas to the beach,
set them up, and have a protected place to change clothing, store picnic hampers, and soon. Cabanarama has
expanded rapidly from a two-person opera-tion to one involving over a hundred employees. The founder and
owner of Cabanarama, Frank Love, understands that a more formal approach to standard setting and control
is needed to ensure that the consistent quality for which the company is known continues.
Frank and Annette Wilson, his financial vice president, divided the company into departments and
designated each department as a cost center. Sales, Quality Control, and Design report directly to Frank.
Production, Shipping, Finance, and Accounting report to Annette. In the production department, one of the
supervisors was assigned the materials purchasing function; the job included purchasing all raw materials,
overseeing inventory handling (receiving, storage, etc.), and tracking materials purchases and use.
Frank felt that control would be better achieved if there were a way for his employees to continue to perform
in such a way that quality was maintained and cost reduction was achieved. Annette suggested that
Cabanarama institute a standard costing system. Variances for materials and labor could then be calculated
and reported directly to her, and she could alert Frank to any problems or opportunities for improvement.
Required:
1. a. When Annette designs the standard costing system for Cabanarama, who
should be involved in setting the standards for each cost component?
 b. What factors should be considered in establishing the standards for each cost component?
2. Assume that Cabanarama develops the standards for materials use, materials price, labor use, and labor
wages. Who will be assigned responsibility for each and for any resulting variances? Why?

10 BASICS OF VARIANCE ANALYSIS, VARIABLE INPUTS

Guanamo Waste Disposal Company has a long-term contract with several large cities to collect garbage and
trash from residential customers. To facilitate the collection, Gua-namo places a large plastic container with
each household. Because of wear and tear, growth, and other factors, Guanamo places about 200,000 new
containers each year (about 20 percent of the total households). Several years ago, Guanamo decided to man-
ufacture its own containers as a cost-saving measure. A strategically located plant involved in this type of
manufacturing was acquired. To help ensure cost efficiency, a standard cost system was installed in the plant.
The following standards have been established for the product’s variable inputs:

Standard Standard Price Standar

Quantity (rate in $) dCost ($)
Direct materials 12 lbs. $ 3.00 $36.00
Direct labor 1.60 hrs. 10.00 16.00
Variable overhead 1.60 hrs. 2.50 4.00
Total $56.00

During the first week, the company had the following actual results:

Units produced 4,000

Actual labor costs $70,000
Actual labor hours 6,600
Materials purchased and used 46,000 lbs.@
Actual variable overhead $26,500
$3.05
costs

The purchasing agent located a new source of slightly higher-quality plastic, and this material was used
during the first week in January. Also, a new manufacturing process was implemented on a trial basis. The
new process required a slightly higher level of skilled labor. The higher-quality material has no effect on
labor utilization. However, the new manufacturing process was expected to reduce materials usage by 0.25
pound per can.

Required:
1. Compute the materials price and usage variances. Assume that the 0.25 pound per can reduction of
materials occurred as expected and that the remaining effects are all attributable to the higher-quality
material. Would you recommend that the purchasing agent continue to buy this quality, or should the
usual quality be purchased? Assume that the quality of the end product is not affected significantly.
2. Compute the labor rate and efficiency variances. Assuming that the labor variances are attributable to the
new manufacturing process, should it be continued or discontinued? In answering, consider the new
process’s materials reduction effect as well. Explain.
Refer to Requirement 2. Suppose that the industrial engineer argued that the new process should not be
evaluated after only one week. His reasoning was that it would take at least a week for the workers to
become efficient with the new approach. Suppose that the production is the same the second week and that
the actual labor hours were 6,000 and the labor cost was $62,000. Should the new process be adopted?
Assume the variances are attributable to the new process. Assuming production of 4,000 units per week,
what would be the projected annual savings? (Include the materials reduction effect.)
11 SETTING STANDARDS, MATERIALS AND LABOR VARIANCES

Tom Belford and Tony Sorrentino own a small business devoted to kitchen and bath granite installations.
Recently, building contractors have insisted on up-front bid prices for a house rather than the cost-plus
system that Tom and Tony were used to. They worry because natural flaws in the granite make it impossible
to tell in advance exactly how much granite will be used on a particular job. In addition, granite can be easily
broken, meaning that Tom or Tony could ruin a slab and would need to start over with a new one.
Sometimes the improperly cut pieces could be used for smaller installations, sometimes not. All their
accounting is done by a local certified public accounting firm headed by Charlene Davenport. Charlene
listened to their concerns and suggested that it might be time to implement tighter controls by setting up a
standard costing system.
Charlene reviewed the invoices pertaining to a number of Tom and Tony’s previous jobs to determine the
average amount of granite and glue needed per square foot. She then updated prices on both materials to
reflect current conditions. The standards she developed for one square foot of counter installed were as
follows:

Granite, per square foot $50.00

Glue (10 oz. @ $0.15) 1.50
Direct labor hours:
Cutting labor (0.10 hr. @ $15) 1.50
Installation labor (0.25 hr. @ $25) 6.25

These standards assumed that one seamless counter requires one

sink cut (the space into which the sink will fit) as well as cutting the
counter to fit the space available. Charlene tracked the actual costs
incurred by Tom and Tony for granite installation for the next six
months. She found that they completed 50 jobs with an average of 32
square feet of granite installed in each one. The following information
on actual amounts used and cost was gathered:

Granite purchased and used (1,640 sq. ft.) $79,048

Glue purchased and used (16,000 oz.) $2,560
Actual hours cutting labor 180
Actual hours installation labor 390

The actual wage rate for cutting and installation labor remained
unchanged from the standard rate.

Required:
1. Calculate the materials price variances and materials usage
variances for granite and for glue for the past six months.
2. Calculate the labor rate variances and labor efficiency variances
for cutting labor and for installation labor for the past six months.

Would it be worthwhile for Charlene to establish standards for

atypical jobs (e.g., those with more than one sink cut or wider than
normal)?

12 SETTING A DIRECT LABOR STANDARD, LEARNING CURVE

EFFECTS, SERVICE COMPANY

Mantenga Company provides routine maintenance services for heavy moving and transportation vehicles.
Although the vehicles vary, the maintenance services provided follow a fairly standard pattern. Recently, a
potential customer has approached the company, requesting a new maintenance service for a radically
different type of vehicle. New servicing equipment and some new labor skills will be needed to provide the
maintenance service. The customer is placing an initial order to service 150 vehicles and has indicated that if
the service is satisfactory, several additional orders of the same size will be placed every three months over
the next three to five years.
Mantenga uses a standard costing system and wants to develop a set of standards for the new part. The usage
standards for direct materials such as oil, lubricants, and transmission fluids were easily established. The
usage standard is 25 quarts per servicing, with a standard cost of $4 per quart. Management has also decided
on standard rates for labor and overhead: The standard labor rate is $15 per direct labor hour, the standard
variable overhead rate is $8 per direct labor hour, and the standard fixed overhead rate is $12 per hour. The
only remaining decision is the standard for labor usage. To assist in developing this standard, the
engineering department has estimated the following relationship between units serviced and average direct
labor hours used:

Units Serviced Cumulative Average Time per Unit (hours)

40 2.500
80 2.000
160 1.600
320 1.280
640 1.024

Required:
1. Assume that the average labor time is 0.768 hour per unit
after the learning effects are achieved. Using this information,
prepare a standard cost sheet that details the standard service
cost per unit. Round costs to two decimal places.
2. Given the per-unit labor standard set, would you expect a favorable or an unfavorable labor
efficiency? Explain. Calculate the labor efficiency variance for servicing the first 320 units.
3. Assuming no further improvement in labor time per unit is possible past 320 units, explain why the
cumulative average time per unit at 640 is lower than the time at 320 units. Show that the standard
labor time should be 0.768 hour per unit. Explain why this value is a good choice for the per-unit
labor standard.

13 UNIT COSTS, MULTIPLE PRODUCTS, VARIANCE ANALYSIS,

SERVICE SETTING

The maternity wing of the city hospital has two types of patients: normal and cesarean. The standard
quantities of labor and materials per delivery for 2009 are:
Normal Cesarean
Direct materials (lbs.) 8 20
Nursing labor (hrs.) 2 4

The standard price paid per pound of direct materials is $10. The standard rate for labor is $16. Overhead is
applied on the basis of direct labor hours. The variable overhead rate for maternity is $30 per hour, and the
fixed overhead rate is $40 per hour.
Actual operating data for 2009 are as follows:
a. Patient days produced: normal, 3,500; cesarean, 7,000.
b. Direct materials purchased and used: 172,000 pounds at $9.50—30,000 for normal maternity
patients and 142,000 for the cesarean patients; no beginning or ending raw materials inventories.
c. Nursing labor: 36,500 hours—7,200 hours for normal patients and 29,300 hours for the
cesarean; total cost of labor, $580,350.

Required:
1. Prepare a standard cost sheet showing the unit cost per patient day for each type of patient.
2. Compute the materials price and usage variances for each type of patient.
3. Compute the labor rate and efficiency variances.
4. Assume that you know only the total direct materials used for both products and the total direct labor
hours used for both products. Can you compute the total materials usage and labor efficiency variances?
Explain.
5. Standard costing concepts have been applied in the healthcare industry. For example, diagnostic-related
groups (DRGs) are used for prospective payments for Medicare patients. Select a search engine (such as
Yahoo! or Google), and conduct a search to see what information you can obtain about DRGs. You
might try ‘‘Medicare DRGs’’ as a possible search topic. Write a memo that answers the following
questions:
a. What is a DRG?
b. How are DRGs established?
c. How many DRGs are used?
d. How does the DRG concept relate to standard costing concepts discussed in the chapter? Can
hospitals use DRGs to control their costs? Explain.

14 CONTROL LIMITS, VARIANCE INVESTIGATION

Goodsmell Company produces a well-known cologne. The standard manufacturing cost of the cologne is
described by the following standard cost sheet:

Direct materials:
Liquids (4.2 oz. @ $0.25) $1.05
Bottles (1 @ $0.05) 0.05
Direct labor (0.2 hr. @ $12.50) 2.50
Variable overhead (0.2 hr. @ $4.70) 0.94
Fixed overhead (0.2 hr. @ $1.00) 0.20
Standard cost per unit $4.74

Management has decided to investigate only those variances that exceed the lesser
of 10 percent of the standard cost for each category or $20,000.
During the past quarter, 250,000 four-ounce bottles of cologne were produced.
Descriptions of actual activity for the quarter follow:
a. A total of 1.15 million ounces of liquids was purchased, mixed, and processed.
Evaporation was higher than expected (no inventories of liquids are
maintained). The price paid per ounce averaged $0.27.
b. Exactly 250,000 bottles were used. The price paid for each bottle was
$0.048.
c. Direct labor hours totaled 48,250, with a total cost of $622,425.
Normal production volume for Goodsmell is 250,000 bottles per quarter. The standard overhead rates are
computed by using normal volume. All overhead costs are incurred uniformly throughout the year.

Required:
1. Calculate the upper and lower control limits for each manufacturing cost category.
2. Compute the total materials variance, and break it into price and usage variances. Would these variances
be investigated?
3. Compute the total labor variance, and break it into rate and efficiency variances. Would these variances
be investigated?
15 CONTROL LIMITS, VARIANCE INVESTIGATION

The management of Golding Company has determined that the cost to investigate a variance produced by its
standard cost system ranges from $2,000 to $3,000. If a problem is discovered, the average benefit from
taking corrective action usually outweighs the cost of investigation. Past experience from the investigation of
variances has revealed that corrective action is rarely needed for deviations within 8 percent of the standard
cost. Golding produces a single product, which has the following standards for materials and labor:

Direct materials (8 lbs. @ $0.25) $2

Direct labor (0.4 hr. @ $7.50) 3

Actual production for the past three months with the associated actual usage and costs for materials and labor
follow. There were no beginning or ending raw materials inventories.

April May June

Production (units) 90,000 100,000 110,000

Direct materials:
Cost $189,000 $218,000 $230,000
Usage (lbs.) 723,000 870,000 885,000
Direct labor:
Cost $270,000 $323,000 $360,000
Usage (hrs.) 36,000 44,000 46,000

Required:
1. What upper and lower control limits would you use for materials
variances? For labor variances?
2. Compute the materials and labor variances for April, May, and
June. Identify those that would require investigation.
3. Let the horizontal axis be time and the vertical axis be variances
measured as a percentage deviation from standard. Draw
horizontal lines that identify upper and lower control limits. Plot
the labor and material variances for April, May, and June. Prepare
a separate graph for each type of variance. Explain how you
would use these graphs (called control charts) to assist your
analysis of variances.

16 STANDARD COSTING, PLANNED VARIANCES

Ogundipe Company manufactures a plastic toy cell phone. The following standards have been established for
the toy’s materials and labor inputs:
Standard Standard Price
Standard
Quantity (Rate in $) Cost
($)
Direct materials 0.5 lb. 1 0.50
Direct labor 0.1 hr. 10
1.00
During the first week of July, the company had the following results:

Units produced 40,000

Actual labor costs $42,000
Actual labor hours 4,100
Materials purchased and used 19,500 lbs. @ $1.05 per lb

Other information: The purchasing agent located a new source of slightly higher-quality plastic, and this
material was used during the first week in July. Also, a new manufacturing layout was implemented on a
trial basis. The new layout required a slightly higher level of skilled labor. The higher-quality material has no
effect on labor utilization. Similarly, the new manufacturing approach has no effect on material usage.

Required:
1. Compute the materials price and usage variances. Assuming that the materials variances are
essentially attributable to the higher quality of materials, would you recommend that the purchasing
agent continue to buy this quality, or should the usual quality be purchased? Assume that the quality
of the end product is not affected significantly.
2. Compute the labor rate and efficiency variances. Assuming that the labor variances are attributable
to the new manufacturing layout, should it be continued or discontinued? Explain.
3. Refer to Requirement 2. Suppose that the industrial engineer argued that the new layout should not
be evaluated after only one week. His reasoning was that it would take at least a week for the
workers to become efficient with the new approach. Suppose that the production is the same the
second week and that the actual labor hours were 3,900 and the labor cost was $39,000. Should the
new layout be adopted? Assume the variances are attributable to the new layout. If so, what would
be the projected annual savings?

17 STANDARD COSTING

Whitecotton Company produces plastic bottles. The unit for costing purposes is a case of 18 bottles. The
following standards for producing one case of bottles have been established:

Direct materials (5 lbs @ $0.80) $4

Direct labor (1.5 hours @ $16.00) 24
Standard prime cost $28

During December, 52,000 pounds of material were purchased and

used in production. There were 10,000 cases produced, with the
following actual prime costs:

Direct materials $40,000

Direct labor 236,910 (for 14,900 hrs.)

Required:
1. Compute the materials variances.
2. Compute the labor variances.
What are the advantages and disadvantages that can result from the use of a standard costing system?
18 VARIANCE ANALYSIS, REVISION OF STANDARDS, JOURNAL ENTRIES

The Lubbock plant of Morril’s Small Motor Division produces a major subassembly for a 6.0 horsepower
motor for lawn mowers. The plant uses a standard costing system for production costing and control. The
standard cost sheet for the subassembly follows:
Direct materials (6.0 lbs. @ $5.00) $30.00
Direct labor (1.6 hrs. @ $12.00) 19.20

During the year, the Lubbock plant had the following actual production activity:
a. Production of motors totaled 50,000 units.
b. A total of 260,000 pounds of raw materials was purchased at $4.70 per pound.
c. There were 60,000 pounds of raw materials in beginning
inventory (carried at $5 per lb.). There was no ending inventory.
d. The company used 82,000 direct labor hours at a total cost of $1,066,000.
The Lubbock plant’s practical activity is 60,000 units per year. Standard
overhead rates are computed based on practical activity measured in
standard direct labor hours.

Required:
1. Complete the materials price and usage variances. Of the two
materials variances, which is viewed as the most controllable? To
whom would you assign responsibility for the usage variance in
this case? Explain.
2. Compute the labor rate and efficiency variances. Who is usually
responsible for the labor efficiency variance? What are some
possible causes for this variance?
3. Assume that the purchasing agent for the small motors plant
purchased a lower-quality raw material from a new supplier.
Would you recommend that the plant continue to use this cheaper
raw material? If so, what standards would likely need revision to
reflect this decision? Assume that the end product’s quality is not
significantly affected.
4. Prepare all possible journal entries

19 ESTABLISHMENT OF STANDARDS, VARIANCE ANALYSIS

Paul Golding and his wife, Nancy, established Crunchy Chips in 1938. (Nancy sold her piano to help raise
capital to start the business.) Paul assumed responsibility for buying potatoes and selling chips to local
grocers; Nancy assumed responsibility for production. Since Nancy was already known for her delicious thin
potato chips, the business prospered. Over the past 60 years, the company has established distribution
channels in 11 western states, with production facilities in Utah, New Mexico, and Colorado. In 1980, Paul
Golding died, and his son, Edward, took control of the business. By 2009, the company was facing stiff
competition from national snack-food companies. Edward was advised that the company’s plants needed to
gain better control over production costs. To assist in achieving this objective, he hired a consultant to install
a standard costing system. To help the consultant in establishing the necessary standards, Edward sent her
the following memo:

To: Diana Craig, Certified Management Accountant

From: Edward Golding, President, Crunchy Chips
Subject: Description and Data Relating to the Production of Our Plain Potato Chips
Date: September 28, 2009
The manufacturing process for potato chips begins when the potatoes are placed into a large vat in which
they are automatically washed. After washing, the potatoes flow directly to an automatic peeler. The peeled
potatoes then pass by inspectors, who manually cut out deep eyes or other blemishes. After inspection, the
potatoes are automatically sliced and are dropped into the cooking oil. The frying process is closely
monitored by an employee. After the chips are cooked, they pass under a salting device and then pass by
more inspectors, who sort out the unacceptable finished chips (those that are discolored or too small). The
chips then continue on the conveyor belt to a bagging machine that bags them in one-pound bags. After
bagging, the bags are placed in a box and shipped. The box holds 15 bags.
The raw potato pieces (eyes and blemishes), peelings, and rejected finished chips are sold to animal feed
producers for $0.16 per pound. The company uses this revenue to reduce the cost of potatoes; we would like
this reflected in the price standard relating to potatoes.
Crunchy Chips purchases high-quality potatoes at a cost of $0.245 per pound. Each potato averages 4.25
ounces. Under efficient operating conditions, it takes four potatoes to produce one 16-ounce bag of plain
chips. Although we label bags as containing 16 ounces, we actually place 16.3 ounces in each bag. We plan
to continue this policy to ensure customer satisfaction. In addition to potatoes, other raw materials are the
cooking oil, salt, bags, and boxes. Cooking oil costs $0.04 per ounce, and we use 3.3 ounces of oil per bag of
chips. The cost of salt is so small that we add it to overhead. Bags cost $0.11 each and boxes $0.52 each.
Our plant produces 8.8 million bags of chips per year. A recent engineering study revealed that we would
need the following direct labor hours to produce this quantity if our plant operates at peak efficiency:

Raw potato inspection 3,200

Finished chip inspection 12,000
Frying monitor 6,300
Boxing 16,600
Machine operators 6,300

I’m not sure that we can achieve the level of efficiency advocated by the study. In my opinion, the plant is
operating efficiently for the level of output indicated if the hours allowed are about 10 percent higher.
The hourly labor rates agreed upon with the union are:

Raw potato inspectors $15.20

Finished chip inspectors 10.30
Frying monitor 14.00
Boxing 11.00
Machine operators 13.00

Overhead is applied on the basis of direct labor dollars. We have found that variable overhead averages
about 116 percent of our direct labor cost. Our fixed overhead is budgeted at $1,135,216 for the coming year.

Required:
1. Discuss the benefits of a standard costing system for Crunchy Chips.
2. Discuss the president’s concern about using the result of the engineering study to set the labor standards.
What standard would you recommend?
3. Form a group with two or three other students. Develop a standard cost sheet for Crunchy Chips’ plain
potato chips.
4. Suppose that the level of production was 8.8 million bags of potato chips for the year as planned. If 9.5
million pounds of potatoes were used, compute the materials usage variance for potatoes.

20 STANDARD COSTING, ETHICAL BEHAVIOR, USEFULNESS OF

STANDARD COSTING

Pat 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 schedule but being
unreliable from then on. Worse, the part itself was of questionable quality. The number of defective units
was only slightly higher than that for other suppliers, but the life of the component was 25 percent less
than what normal sources provided.
If the part were purchased, no problems with deliveries would surface for several months. The problem of
shorter life would cause eventual customer dissatisfaction and perhaps some loss of sales, but the part would
last at least 18 months after the final product began to be used. If all went well, Pat expected to be at
headquarters within six months. He saw little personal risk associated with a decision to purchase the part
from the new supplier. By the time any problems surfaced, they would belong to his successor. With this
rationalization, Pat decided to purchase the component from the new supplier.

Required:
1. Do you agree with Pat’s decision? Why or why not? How
important was Pat’s assessment of his personal risk in the
decision? Should it be a factor?
2. Do you think that the use of standards and the practice of holding
individuals accountable for their achievement played major roles
in Pat’s decision?
3. Review the discussion on corporate ethical standards in Chapter
13 and read the Institute of Management Accountants ‘‘Statement
of Ethical Professional Practice’’ found at
https://www.imanet.org/about_ethics_statement.asp. Identify the
standards that might apply to Pat’s situation. Should every
company adopt a set of ethical standards that apply to its
employees, regardless of their specialty?
4. The usefulness of standard costing has been challenged in recent
years. Some claim that its use is an impediment to the objective of
continuous improvement (an objective that many feel is vital in
today’s competitive environment). Write a short paper
(individually or in a small group with two or three other students)
that analyzes the role and value of standard costing in today’s
manufacturing environment. Address the following questions:
a. What are the major criticisms of standard costing?
b. Will standard costing disappear, or is there still a role for it in
the new manufac
turing environment? If so, what is the role?
c. Given the criticisms, can you explain why its use continues to
be so prevalent?
Will this use eventually change?
In preparing your paper, the following references may be useful;
however, do not restrict your literature search to these references.
They are simply to help you get started.
 SOLUZIONI

Esercizio 1

1. Cases needing investigation:

Week 2: Exceeds the 10% rule.
Week 4: Exceeds the $12,000 rule and the 10% rule.
Week 5: Exceeds the 10% rule.

2. The purchasing agent is responsible. Corrective action would require a return to the purchase of the
higher-quality material normally used.

3. Production engineering is responsible. If the relationship is expected to persist, then the new labor
method should be adopted and standards for materials and labor need to be revised.

Esercizio 2

1. MPV = (AP – SP)AQ

= ($0.07 – $0.06)2,600,000 = $26,000 U

2. MUV = (AQ – SQ*)SP

= (2,600,000 – 2,560,000)$0.06 = $2,400 U
*SQ = 128 × 20,000 = 2,560,000

Esercizio 3

1. MPV = (AP – SP)AQ

= ($4.10 – $4.00)930,000
= $93,000 U
MUV = (AQ – SQ)SP
= (925,000 – 875,000)$4.00
= $200,000 U
Note: There is no 3-pronged analysis for materials because materials purchased is different from the
materials issued. (Materials purchased is used for MPV and materials issued for MUV.)

2. LRV = (AR – SR)AH

= ($11.15 – $11.25)362,500
= $36,250 F
LEV = (AH – SH)SR
= (362,500 – 350,000)$11.25
= $140,625 U
AR × AH SR × AH SR × SH
 $11.15 × 362,500 $11.25 × 362,500 $11.25 × 350,000
$4,041,875 $4,078,125 $3,937,500
$36,250 F $140,625 U
Rate Efficiency

Esercizio 4

1. Tom purchased the large quantity to obtain a lower price so that the price standard could be met. In all
likelihood, given the reaction of Jackie Iverson, encouraging the use of quantity discounts was not an
objective of setting price standards. Usually, material price standards are to encourage the purchasing
agent to search for sources that will supply the quantity and quality of material desired at the lowest
price.

2. It sounds like the price standard may be out of date. Revising the price standard and implementing a
policy concerning quantity purchases would likely prevent this behavior from reoccurring.

3. Tom apparently acted in his own self-interest when making the purchase. He surely must have known
that the quantity approach was not the objective. Yet the reward structure suggests that there is
considerable emphasis placed on meeting standards. His behavior, in part, was induced by the reward
system of the company. Probably he should be retained with some additional training concerning the
goals of the company and a change in emphasis and policy to help encourage the desired behavior.

Esercizio 5

Materials:

AP × AQ SP × AQ SP × SQ
$0.90 × 53,000 $0.90 × 50,000
$42,000 $47,700 $45,000
$5,700 F $2,700 U
Price Usage

Labor:
AR × AH SR × AH SR × SH
$7.00 × 14,900 $7.00 × 15,000
$102,000 $104,300 $105,000
$2,300 F $700 F
Rate Efficiency
Esercizio 6

1. Materials......................................................................................... 47,700
MPV......................................................................................... 5,700
Accounts Payable .................................................................... 42,000

2. Work in Process ............................................................................. 45,000

MUV .............................................................................................. 2,700
Materials .................................................................................. 47,700

3. Work in Process ............................................................................. 105,000

LRV ......................................................................................... 2,300
LEV ......................................................................................... 700
Accrued Payroll ....................................................................... 102,000

4. MPV ............................................................................................... 5,700

LRV................................................................................................ 2,300
LEV ................................................................................................ 700
MUV........................................................................................ 2,700
Cost of Goods Sold.................................................................. 6,000

Esercizio 7

1. MPV = (AP – SP)AQ

= ($8.35 – $8.25)38,000 = $3,800 U
MUV = (AQ – SQ)SP
= (37,500 – 38,400)$8.25 = $7,425 F
(The 3-pronged variance diagram is not shown because MPV is for materials purchased and not
materials issued, and the two differ.)

2. Materials......................................................................................... 313,500
MPV ............................................................................................... 3,800
Accounts Payable .................................................................... 317,300
Work in Process ............................................................................. 316,800
MUV........................................................................................ 7,425
Materials .................................................................................. 309,375

Esercizio 8

1. LRV = (AR – SR)AH

= ($9.80 – $9.65)25,040 = $3,756 U

Note: AR =

LEV = (AH – SH)SR

= (25,040 – 25,600)$9.65 = $5,404 F
 AR × AH SR × AH SR × SH
$9.80 × 25,040 $9.65 × 25,040 $9.65 × 25,600
$245,392 $241,636 $247,040
$3,756 U $5,404 F
Rate Efficiency

2. Work in Process ............................................................................. 247,040

LRV................................................................................................ 3,756
LEV ......................................................................................... 5,404
Accrued Payroll ....................................................................... 245,392

Esercizio 9

1. a. The managers of each cost center should be involved in setting standards. They understand the
actual conditions and are the primary source for information on quantity used and wages paid. The
newly designated materials purchasing manager is the information for material prices. Since this is
a new position, that individual may not have much information to share, and Annette should go
directly to those that did the purchasing in the past. The accounting department, in conjunction
with Production, should be able to develop overhead standards and should provide information
about past prices and usage.
b. Standards should be attainable; they should include an allowance for waste, breakdowns, etc.
Market prices for materials as well as labor (unions) should be a consideration for setting
standards. Labor prices should include fringe benefits, and material prices should include freight,
taxes, etc.

2. Once the standards are set, actual results can be compared with the standards and variances can be
calculated. Of course, the variances themselves are only indicators of potential problems. The underlying
causes of the variances must be determined to decide whether or not corrective action is needed. For this
reason, responsibility for the variances will be assigned to those with the most information about them.
The variances that will most likely be calculated are:
Materials Purchase Price Variance—responsibility for this variance lies with the assistant supervisor who
was designated the materials purchasing manager. This individual can explain why materials prices were
or were not equal to the standard amounts.
Materials Usage Variance—responsibility for this variance lies with the manager in charge of the
Production Department. This individual knows how much was produced and whether or not the amount
of materials used equaled the standard.
Labor Rate Variance—responsibility for this variance lies with the manager in charge of the Production
Department. Again, this individual knows whether or not the wage rate used equaled the standard.
Labor Usage Variance—responsibility for this variance lies with the manager in charge of the Production
Department. This individual knows how much was produced and whether or not the amount of labor
used equaled the standard.
Esercizio 10

1. Materials:
AP × AQ SP × AQ SP × SQ
$3.05 × 46,000 $3 × 46,000 $3 × 48,000
$2,300 U $6,000 F
Price Usage

The new process saves 0.25 × 4,000 × $3 = $3,000. Thus, the net savings attributable to the higher-
quality material are ($6,000 – $3,000) – $2,300 = $700. Keep the higher-quality material!

2. Labor for new process:

AR × AH SR × AH SR × SH
$70,000 $10 × 6,600 $10 × 6,400
$4,000 U $2,000 U
Rate Efficiency

The new process gains $3,000 in materials (see Requirement 1) but loses $6,000 from the labor effect,
giving a net loss of $3,000. If this pattern is expected to persist, then the new process should be
abandoned.

3. Labor for new process, one week later:

AR × AH SR × AH SR × SH
$62,000 $10 × 6,000 $10 × 6,400
$2,000 U $4,000 F
Rate Efficiency

If this is the pattern, then the new process should be continued. It will save $260,000 per year ($5,000 ×
52 weeks). The weekly savings of $5,000 is the materials savings of $3,000 plus labor savings of $2,000.
Esercizio 11

1. Granite:
MPV = Actual cost – (AQ × SP)
= $79,048 – (1,640 × $50) = $2,952 F
MUV = (AQ – SQ)SP
= (1,640 – 1,600)$50 = $2,000 U

Glue:
MPV = Actual cost – (AQ × SP)
= $2,560 – (16,000 × $0.15) = $160 U
MUV = (AQ – SQ)SP
= (16,000 – 16,000)$0.15 = 0

2. Cutting Labor:
LRV = (AR – SR)AH
= ($15 – $15)180 = 0
LEV = (AH – SH)SR
= (180 – 160)$15 = $300 U

Installation Labor:
LRV = (AR – SR)AH
= ($25 – $25)390 = 0
LEV = (AH – SH)SR
= (390 – 400)$25 = $250 F

3. It would probably not be worthwhile for Charlene to establish standards for every different type of
installation. Tom and Tony have a small enough operation that they can mentally decide whether or not
another type of installation (e.g., one with multiple sink cuts) will be more expensive than the typical
one.

Esercizio 12

1. Standard Standard Standard

Price Usage Cost
Direct materials $ 4 25.000 $100.00
Direct labor 15 0.768 11.52
Variable overhead 8 0.768 6.14
Fixed overhead 12 0.768 9.22
Standard cost per unit $126.88*
*Rounded
2. There would be unfavorable labor efficiency variances for the first 320 units because the standard hours
are much lower than the actual hours at this level. Actual hours would be approximately 409.60 (320 ×
1.28), and standard hours would be 245.76 (320 × 0.768). Thus, the labor efficiency variance would be:

LEV = (AH – SH)SR

= (409.60 – 245.76)$15
= $2,457.60 U

3. The cumulative average time per unit is an average. For example, the first 40 units take an average of 2.5
hours per unit. The second 40 take an average of 1.5 hours per unit = 1.5, and

therefore, the average for the first 80 is 2.0 per unit. Thus, as more units are produced, the cumulative
average time per unit will decrease. The standard should be 0.768 hour per unit as this is the average
time taken per unit once efficiency is achieved:

= 0.768

Esercizio 13

1. Normal patient day:

Standard Standard Standard
Price Usage Cost
Direct materials $10.00 8.00 lbs. $ 80.00
Direct labor 16.00 2 hrs. 32.00
Variable overhead 30.00 2 hrs. 60.00
Fixed overhead 40.00 2 hrs. 80.00
Unit cost $252.00

Cesarean patient day:

Standard Standard Standard
Price Usage Cost
Direct materials $10.00 20.00 lbs. $200.00
Direct labor 16.00 4 hrs. 64.00
Variable overhead 30.00 4 hrs. 120.00
Fixed overhead 40.00 4 hrs. 160.00
Unit cost $544.00

2. MPV = (AP – SP)AQ

MPV (Normal) = ($9.50 – $10.00)30,000 = $15,000 F
MPV (Cesarean) = ($9.50 – $10.00)142,000 = $71,000 F
MUV = (AQ – SQ)SP
MUV (Normal) = [30,000 – (8 × 3,500)]$10 = $20,000 U
MUV (Cesarean) = [142,000 – (20 × 7,000)]$10 = $20,000 U

3. LRV = (AR – SR)AH

LRV (Normal) = ($15.90 – $16.00)7,200 = $720 F
 LRV (Cesarean) = ($15.90 – $16.00)29,300 = $2,930 F
LEV = (AH – SH)SR
LEV (Normal) = [7,200 – (2 × 3,500)]$16 = $3,200 U
LEV (Cesarean) = [29,300 – (4 × 7,000)]$16 = $20,800 U

4. Yes. Computations are shown below.

MUV = (172,000 – 28,000 – 140,000)$10 = $40,000 U
LEV = (36,500 – 35,000)$16 = $24,000 U

5. Answers will vary.

Esercizio 14

1. Liquid standard = 4.2 × 250,000 × $0.25 = $262,500

Upper control limit (UCL): $288,750 or $282,500; lesser = $282,500
Lower control limit (LCL): $236,250 or $242,500; greater = $242,500
Bottle standard = 250,000 × $0.05 = $12,500
UCL: $13,750
LCL: $11,250
Direct labor standard = 0.2 × 250,000 × $12.50 = $625,000
UCL: $687,500 or $645,000; lesser = $645,000
LCL: $562,500 or $605,000; greater = $605,000

2. Total liquid variance = $310,500 – $262,500 = $48,000 U

MPV = ($0.27 – $0.25)1,150,000 = $23,000 U
MUV = (1,150,000 – 1,050,000)$0.25 = $25,000 U
The liquid variances would be investigated as the total variance exceeds $20,000, as does each individual
variance.
Total bottle variance = $12,000 – $12,500 = $500 F
MPV = ($0.048 – $0.05)250,000 = $500 F
MUV = (250,000 – 250,000)$0.05 = 0
The bottle variances would not be investigated as the total variance is within the accepted limits.

3. Total labor variance = $622,425 – $625,000 = $2,575 F

LRV = ($12.90 – $12.50)48,250 = $19,300 U
LEV = (48,250 – 50,000)$12.50 = $21,875 F
The total variance is within the limits. However, the labor efficiency variance is greater than $20,000 and
should be investigated.
Esercizio 15

1. April (UCL = Upper control limit, and LCL = Lower control limit)
Materials:
Price standard: $0.25 × 723,000 = $180,750
UCL: 0.08 × $180,750 = $14,460
LCL: ($14,460)
Quantity standard: 8 × 90,000 × $0.25 = $180,000
UCL: 0.08 × $180,000 = $14,400
LCL: ($14,400)
Labor:
Price standard: $7.50 × 36,000 = $270,000
UCL: 0.08 × $270,000 = $21,600
LCL: ($21,600)
Quantity standard: 0.4 × 90,000 × $7.50 = $270,000
UCL: 0.08 × $270,000 = $21,600
LCL: ($21,600)

May
Materials:
Price standard: $0.25 × 870,000 = $217,500
UCL: 0.08 × $217,500 = $17,400
LCL: ($17,400)
Quantity standard: 8 × 100,000 × $0.25 = $200,000
UCL: 0.08 × $200,000 = $16,000
LCL: ($16,000)
Labor:
Price standard: $7.50 × 44,000 = $330,000
UCL: 0.08 × $330,000 = $26,400
LCL: ($26,400)
Quantity standard: 0.4 × 100,000 × $7.50 = $300,000
UCL: 0.08 × $300,000 = $24,000
LCL: ($24,000)

June
Materials:
Price standard: $0.25 × 885,000 = $221,250
UCL: 0.08 × $221,250 = $17,700
LCL: ($17,700)
Quantity standard: 8 × 110,000 × $0.25 = $220,000
UCL: 0.08 × $220,000 = $17,600
 LCL: ($17,600)
Labor:
Price standard: $7.50 × 46,000 = $345,000
UCL: 0.08 × $345,000 = $27,600
LCL: ($27,600)
Quantity standard: 0.4 × 110,000 × $7.50 = $330,000
UCL: 0.08 × $330,000 = $26,400
LCL: ($26,400)

2. April Limit Actual*

MPV = ($0.2614 – $0.25)723,000 = $8,242 U $ ± 14,460 4.6%
MUV = (723,000 – 720,000)$0.25 = $750 U ± 14,400 0.4
LRV = ($7.50 – $7.50)36,000 = 0 ± 21,600 0.0
LEV = (36,000 – 36,000)$7.50 = 0 ± 21,600 0.0
May
MPV = ($0.2506 – $0.25)870,000 = $522 U ± 17,400 0.2%
MUV = (870,000 – 800,000)$0.25 = $17,500 U ± 16,000** 8.8
LRV = ($7.341 – $7.50)44,000 = $6,996 F ± 26,400 (2.1)
LEV = (44,000 – 40,000)$7.50 = $30,000 U ± 24,000** 10.0
June
MPV = ($0.2599 – $0.25)885,000 = $8,762 U ± 17,700 4.0%
MUV = (885,000 – 880,000)$0.25 = $1,250 U ± 17,600 0.6
LRV = ($7.826 – $7.50)46,000 = $14,996 U ± 27,600 4.3
LEV = (46,000 – 44,000)$7.50 = $15,000 U ± 26,400 4.5
* The actual deviation divided by the total price or quantity.
** Investigate May’s MUV and LEV.

3. Control charts allow us to see when the variances are outside an acceptable range. They may also show a
pattern that might help in pinpointing when the problem began.

Control charts: To simplify the presentation, the variances are expressed as a percentage of the total
quantity or price standard, and the y-axis is used for variances. These percentages were calculated in
Requirement 2.

MPV:
%
10.0

8.0

x
x

x
0.0
 –8.0
April May June

MUV:
%

10.0
x
8.0

x
x
0.0

–8.0
April May June
LRV:
%

10.0

8.0

0.0 x

–8.0
April May June
LEV:
 %

10.0 x

8.0

0.0 x

–8.0
April May June

Esercizio 16

1. MPV = (AP – SP)AQ

= ($1.05 – $1.00)19,500 = $975 U
MUV = (AQ – SQ)SP
= (19,500 – 20,000)$1 = $500 F
The overall materials variance is $475 U ($975U – $500F); therefore, the company should not buy this
quality of materials, but should go back to the prior quality.

2. LRV = (AR × AH) – (SR × AH)

= Actual labor cost – (SR × AH)
= $42,000 – ($10 × 4,100) = $1,000 U
LEV = (SR × AH) – (SR × SH)
= ($10 × 4,100) – ($10 × 4,000) = $1,000 U
The overall labor variance is $2,000 U ($1,000 + $1,000). If this pattern is expected to persist, then the
new layout should be abandoned.

3. LRV = (AR × AH) – (SR × AH)

= Actual labor cost – (SR × AH)
= $39,000 – ($10 × 3,900) = $0
LEV = (SR × AH) – (SR × SH)
= ($10 × 3,900) – ($10 × 4,000) = $1,000 F
The overall labor variance is $1,000 F (0 + $1,000 F). If this pattern is the one expected to persist, then
the new layout should be continued. It will save $52,000 per year ($1,000 × 52 weeks).
Esercizio 17

1. MPV = (AQ × AP) – (SP × AQ)

= Actual materials cost – (SP × AQ)
= $40,000 – ($0.80)52,000 = $1,600 F
MUV = (AQ – SQ)SP
= (52,000 – 50,000)($0.80) = $1,600 U
Overall materials variance = $1,600 F + $1,600 U = 0

2. LRV = (AR × AH) – (SR × AH)

= Actual labor cost – (SR × AH)
= $236,910 – ($16 × 14,900) = $1,490 F
LEV = (SR × AH) – (SR × SH)
= ($16 × 14,900) – ($16 × 15,000) = $1,600 F

Conclusioni:

3. The basic advantages offered by a standard costing system include its use in planning, control, and
decision making. A standard costing system helps in budgeting since the unit standard costs can be
multiplied by the predicted level of production to obtain total costs. Standard costs are used in control to
evaluate performance. A comparison of actual costs to standard costs allows management to evaluate the
performances of cost centers. Finally, standard costs assist in decision making. For example, having
standard costs can make pricing decisions easier.
Standard costing systems also have disadvantages. For example, standards that are set too high (e.g.,
theoretical or perfect standards) can cause motivation to decrease, as workers believe that they can never
achieve the standards. Standards may also stand in the way of continual improvement if they are not
updated frequently to adjust for gradual increases in efficiency.

Esercizio 18

1. MPV = (AP – SP)AQ

= ($4.70 – $5.00)260,000 = $78,000 F
MUV = (AQ – SQ)SP
= (320,000 – 300,000)$5 = $100,000 U
The materials usage variance is viewed as the most controllable because prices for materials are often
market-driven and thus not controllable. Responsibility for the variance in this case likely would be
assigned to Purchasing. The lower-quality materials are probably the cause of the extra usage.

2. LRV = (AR – SR)AH

= ($13 – $12)82,000 = $82,000 U
LEV = (AH – SH)SR
= (82,000 – 80,000)$12 = $24,000 U
AR × AH SR × AH SR × SH
 $13 × 82,000 $12 × 82,000 $12 × 80,000
$82,000 U $24,000 U
Rate Efficiency

Production is usually responsible for labor efficiency. In this case, efficiency may have been affected by
the lower-quality materials, and Purchasing, thus, may have significant responsibility for the outcome.
Other possible causes are less demand than expected, poor supervision, lack of proper training, and lack
of experience.
3. Three variances are potentially affected by material quality:
MPV $ 78,000 F
MUV 100,000 U
LEV 24,000 U
Net effect $ 46,000 U
If the variance outcomes are largely attributable to the lower-quality materials, then the company should
discontinue using this material.

4. Materials......................................................................................... 1,300,000
MPV......................................................................................... 78,000
Accounts Payable .................................................................... 1,222,000
Work in Process ............................................................................. 1,500,000
MUV .............................................................................................. 100,000
Materials .................................................................................. 1,600,000
Work in Process ............................................................................. 960,000
LRV................................................................................................ 82,000
LEV ................................................................................................ 24,000
Accrued Payroll ....................................................................... 1,066,000
Cost of Goods Sold ........................................................................ 206,000
MUV........................................................................................ 100,000
LRV ......................................................................................... 82,000
LEV ......................................................................................... 24,000
MPV ............................................................................................... 78,000
Cost of Goods Sold.................................................................. 78,000

Esercizio 19

1. By using a standard costing system, Crunchy Chips can increase control of its manufacturing inputs. By
developing price and quantity standards for each input, management can compute price and usage
variances for each input. Since a standard costing system provides more information, control is
enhanced. For example, since managers have the most control over usage of inputs, knowing the usage
variances provides specific information about where action is needed. Moreover, by breaking out price
variances, which are not as controllable, performance evaluation is improved.

2. The engineering standards are ideal standards. The president’s concern is probably reflecting doubt that
the labor standards can be achieved. If pressure is applied to workers to achieve perfection standards, the
outcome is likely to be unsatisfactory. Workers may become frustrated and lower their performance as a
consequence. Many firms elect to use currently attainable standards in lieu of ideal standards. The
 standard suggested by the president is a good starting point. If experience indicates that his standard is
too loose, then the standard can be adjusted later on.

3. Standard cost sheet (for one box of chips):

Direct materials
.......................................... Potatoes (15.9375 lbs. @ $0.238)* $3.7931
............................................... Cooking oil (49.5 oz. @ $0.04) 1.9800
................................................................... Bags (15 @ $0.11) 1.6500
................................................................... Boxes (1 @ $0.52) 0.5200
$7.9431

*Pounds per box = 15 × 4 × = 15.9375

Price per pound = $0.245 less scrap value; scrap per box = 15 × (17.0 ounces – 16.3 ounces) = 10.5
ounces. = = $0.01 per ounce. Scrap savings per box is $0.01 × 10.5 = $0.105,

and the savings per pound of potato is = $0.007. Thus, the standard price per pound of
potato is $0.245 – $0.007 = $0.238.

Direct labor**
................................... Potato inspection (0.006 hr. @ $15.20) $0.0912
....................................Chip inspection (0.0225 hr. @ $10.30) 0.2318
.................................... Frying monitor (0.0118 hr. @ $14.00) 0.1652
................................................. Boxing (0.0311 hr. @ $11.00) 0.3421
............................... Machine operators (0.0118 hr. @ $13.00) 0.1534 0.9837
Variable overhead ($0.9837 × 1.16) ....................................... 1.1411
Fixed overhead ($0.9837 × 1.9671)*** .................................. 1.9350
Cost per box ............................................................................ $12.0029

........................................................ Cost per bag $ 0.8002

** = = 586,667

Hours/box:
Potato inspection:

Chip inspection:

Frying monitor:

Boxing:

Machine operators:

*** = Fixed OH rate based on labor dollars.

4. MUV = (AQ – SQ)SP
= (9,500,000 – 9,350,000)$0.238
= $35,700 U

SQ = 15.9375 × = 9,350,000

Esercizio 20

1. Pat’s decision was wrong and not in the best interests of the company. His concern for his bonus and
promotion was apparently more important than his company’s reputation for a quality product.
Unfortunately, his assessment of personal risk was probably a significant input to the decision to buy the
inferior component. All too often, individuals decide to take an unethical course of action based on their
assessment of their chances of getting caught. This obviously should not be a factor. What is right should
be the driving concern for this type of decision.
2. The use of standards to evaluate performance and assess rewards apparently was influential in Pat’s
decision. He clearly had a desire to receive his annual bonus and wanted to present an impressive
performance profile so that he could secure a position at division headquarters. Perhaps altering the
factors used for evaluating and rewarding performance and increasing the tenure of managers may
decrease this type of behavior. Or perhaps we ought to spend more time emphasizing ethical behavior—
maybe the problem isn’t so much the systems we use for evaluating and rewarding performance but
rather the lack of commitment to ethical decision making.
3. Purchasing agents have ethical responsibilities similar to accountants. Integrity is a universally desirable
characteristic. Pat and other purchasing agents should refrain from engaging in any activity that would
prejudice their abilities to carry out their duties ethically (III-2); refuse any gift, favor (e.g., bonus), or
hospitality that would influence their actions; and refrain from either actively or passively subverting the
attainment of the organization’s legitimate and ethical objectives (III-4). Organizations would be well
advised to adopt a set of ethical standards. All employees should understand that certain behaviors are
unacceptable.
4. Answers will vary.