Presentation is loading. Please wait.

Presentation is loading. Please wait.

Copyright © 2006, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.McGraw-Hill/Irwin 11 th Edition Chapter 5.

Similar presentations


Presentation on theme: "Copyright © 2006, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.McGraw-Hill/Irwin 11 th Edition Chapter 5."— Presentation transcript:

1 Copyright © 2006, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.McGraw-Hill/Irwin 11 th Edition Chapter 5

2 Copyright © 2006, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.McGraw-Hill/Irwin Chapter Five Cost Behavior: Analysis and Use

3 Copyright © 2006, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.McGraw-Hill/Irwin Recall the summary of our cost behavior discussion from an earlier chapter. Types of Cost Behavior Patterns See p.185

4 Copyright © 2006, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.McGraw-Hill/Irwin The Activity Base A measure of what causes the incurrence of a variable cost Units produce d Miles driven Labor hours Machine hours

5 Copyright © 2006, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.McGraw-Hill/Irwin Minutes Talked Total Long Distance Telephone Bill True Variable Cost Example A variable cost is a cost whose total dollar amount varies in direct proportion to changes in the activity level. Your total long distance telephone bill is based on how many minutes you talk.

6 Copyright © 2006, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.McGraw-Hill/Irwin Recall the summary of our cost behavior discussion from an earlier chapter. Types of Cost Behavior Patterns

7 Copyright © 2006, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.McGraw-Hill/Irwin Minutes Talked Per Minute Telephone Charge Variable Cost Per Unit Example A variable cost remains constant if expressed on a per unit basis. The cost per minute talked is constant. For example, 10 cents per minute.

8 Copyright © 2006, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.McGraw-Hill/Irwin Extent of Variable Costs The proportion of variable costs differs across organizations. For example... A public utility with large investments in equipment will tend to have fewer variable costs. A manufacturing company will often have many variable costs. A merchandising company usually will have a high proportion of variable costs like cost of sales. A merchandising company usually will have a high proportion of variable costs like cost of sales. A service company will normally have a high proportion of variable costs. A service company will normally have a high proportion of variable costs.

9 Copyright © 2006, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.McGraw-Hill/Irwin Examples of Variable Costs 1.Merchandising companies – cost of goods sold. 2.Manufacturing companies – direct materials, direct labor, and variable overhead. 3.Merchandising and manufacturing companies – commissions, shipping costs, and clerical costs such as invoicing. 4.Service companies – supplies, travel, and clerical. 1.Merchandising companies – cost of goods sold. 2.Manufacturing companies – direct materials, direct labor, and variable overhead. 3.Merchandising and manufacturing companies – commissions, shipping costs, and clerical costs such as invoicing. 4.Service companies – supplies, travel, and clerical.

10 Copyright © 2006, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.McGraw-Hill/Irwin Volume Cost True Variable Cost Direct materials is a true or proportionately variable cost because the amount used during a period will vary in direct proportion to the level of production activity.

11 Copyright © 2006, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.McGraw-Hill/Irwin Step-Variable Costs step-variable cost A resource that is obtainable only in large chunks (such as maintenance workers) and whose costs increase or decrease only in response to fairly wide changes in activity is known as a step-variable cost. Volume Cost

12 Copyright © 2006, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.McGraw-Hill/Irwin Step-Variable Costs Small changes in the level of production are not likely to have any effect on the number of maintenance workers employed. Volume Cost

13 Copyright © 2006, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.McGraw-Hill/Irwin Step-Variable Costs Only fairly wide changes in the activity level will cause a change in the number of maintenance workers employed Volume Cost

14 Copyright © 2006, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.McGraw-Hill/Irwin Relevant Range A straight line closely approximates a curvilinear variable cost line within the relevant range. Activity Total Cost Economist’s Curvilinear Cost Function The Linearity Assumption and the Relevant Range Accountant’s Straight-Line Approximation (constant unit variable cost)

15 Copyright © 2006, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.McGraw-Hill/Irwin Let’s look at fixed cost behavior on the next screens. Types of Cost Behavior Patterns

16 Copyright © 2006, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.McGraw-Hill/Irwin Number of Local Calls Monthly Basic Telephone Bill Total Fixed Cost Example A fixed cost is a cost whose total dollar amount remains constant as the activity level changes. Your monthly basic telephone bill is probably fixed and does not change when you make more local calls.

17 Copyright © 2006, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.McGraw-Hill/Irwin Recall the summary of our cost behavior discussion from an earlier chapter. Types of Cost Behavior Patterns

18 Copyright © 2006, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.McGraw-Hill/Irwin Number of Local Calls Monthly Basic Telephone Bill per Local Call Fixed Cost Per Unit Example Average fixed costs per unit decrease as the activity level increases. The fixed cost per local call decreases as more local calls are made.

19 Copyright © 2006, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.McGraw-Hill/Irwin Examples Advertising and Research and Development Examples Advertising and Research and Development Examples Depreciation on Equipment and Real Estate Taxes Examples Depreciation on Equipment and Real Estate Taxes Types of Fixed Costs Discretionary May be altered in the short-term by current managerial decisions Discretionary May be altered in the short-term by current managerial decisions Committed Long-term, cannot be significantly reduced in the short term. Committed Long-term, cannot be significantly reduced in the short term.

20 Copyright © 2006, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.McGraw-Hill/Irwin The Trend Toward Fixed Costs The trend in many industries is toward greater fixed costs relative to variable costs. As machines take over many mundane tasks previously performed by humans, “knowledge workers” are demanded for their minds rather than their muscles Knowledge workers tend to be salaried, highly-trained and difficult to replace. The cost to compensate these valued employees is relatively fixed rather than variable.

21 Copyright © 2006, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.McGraw-Hill/Irwin Is Labor a Variable or a Fixed Cost? The behavior of wage and salary costs can differ across countries, depending on labor regulations, labor contracts, and custom. In France, Germany, China, and Japan management has little flexibility in adjusting the size of the labor force. Labor costs are more fixed in nature. In the United States and the United Kingdom management has greater latitude. Labor costs are more variable in nature.

22 Copyright © 2006, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.McGraw-Hill/Irwin Rent Cost in Thousands of Dollars 0 1,000 2,000 3,000 Rented Area (Square Feet) 0 30 60 Fixed Costs and Relevant Range 90 Relevant Range Total cost doesn’t change for a wide range of activity, and then jumps to a new higher cost for the next higher range of activity.

23 Copyright © 2006, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.McGraw-Hill/Irwin Fixed Costs and Relevant Range Example: Office space is available at a rental rate of $30,000 per year in increments of 1,000 square feet. As the business grows more space is rented, increasing the total cost. Example: Office space is available at a rental rate of $30,000 per year in increments of 1,000 square feet. As the business grows more space is rented, increasing the total cost. The relevant range of activity for a fixed cost is the range of activity over which the graph of the cost is flat.

24 Copyright © 2006, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.McGraw-Hill/Irwin How does this type of fixed cost differ from a step- variable cost? Step-variable costs can be adjusted more quickly and... The width of the activity steps is much wider for the fixed cost. Fixed Costs and Relevant Range

25 Copyright © 2006, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.McGraw-Hill/Irwin Quick Check Which of the following statements about cost behavior are true? 1.Fixed costs per unit vary with the level of activity. 2.Variable costs per unit are constant within the relevant range. 3.Total fixed costs are constant within the relevant range. 4.Total variable costs are constant within the relevant range. Which of the following statements about cost behavior are true? 1.Fixed costs per unit vary with the level of activity. 2.Variable costs per unit are constant within the relevant range. 3.Total fixed costs are constant within the relevant range. 4.Total variable costs are constant within the relevant range.

26 Copyright © 2006, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.McGraw-Hill/Irwin Quick Check Which of the following statements about cost behavior are true? 1.Fixed costs per unit vary with the level of activity. 2.Variable costs per unit are constant within the relevant range. 3.Total fixed costs are constant within the relevant range. 4.Total variable costs are constant within the relevant range. Which of the following statements about cost behavior are true? 1.Fixed costs per unit vary with the level of activity. 2.Variable costs per unit are constant within the relevant range. 3.Total fixed costs are constant within the relevant range. 4.Total variable costs are constant within the relevant range.

27 Copyright © 2006, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.McGraw-Hill/Irwin Fixed Monthly Utility Charge Variable Cost per KW Activity (Kilowatt Hours) Total Utility Cost X Y A mixed cost has both fixed and variable components. Consider the example of utility cost. Mixed Costs Total mixed cost

28 Copyright © 2006, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.McGraw-Hill/Irwin Fixed Monthly Utility Charge Variable Cost per KW Activity (Kilowatt Hours) Total Utility Cost X Y Mixed Costs Total mixed cost

29 Copyright © 2006, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.McGraw-Hill/Irwin Mixed Costs Example If your fixed monthly utility charge is $40, your variable cost is $0.03 per kilowatt hour, and your monthly activity level is 2,000 kilowatt hours, what is the amount of your utility bill? Y = a + bX Y = $40 + ($0.03 × 2,000) Y = $100


Download ppt "Copyright © 2006, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.McGraw-Hill/Irwin 11 th Edition Chapter 5."

Similar presentations


Ads by Google