Decision Making and
Relevant Information
Decision Making and
Relevant Information
Learning Objective 1
Information and the
Decision Process
Information and the
Decision Process
Five-Step Decision Process
Five-Step Decision Process
Gather Information
Make Predictions
Choose an Alternative
Learning Objective 2
Learning Objective 2
Differentiate relevant
from irrelevant
The Meaning of Relevance
The Meaning of Relevance
Relevant costs and relevant revenues are expected future costs and revenues that differ among alternative courses of action.
Historical costs Sunk costs
Learning Objective 3
Learning Objective 3
Quantitative and Qualitative
Relevant Information
Quantitative and Qualitative
Relevant Information
Quantitative factors
Financial Nonfinancial
One-Time-Only
Special Order Example
One-Time-Only
Special Order Example
The Bismark Co. manufacturing plant has a
production capacity of 44,000 towels each month. Current monthly production is 30,000 towels. Costs can be classified as either variable or fixed
One-Time-Only
Special Order Example
One-Time-Only
Special Order Example
Variable Fixed
Costs Costs
Per Unit Per Unit
Direct materials $6.50 $
-0-Direct labor .50 1.50
Manufacturing costs 1.50 3.50
One-Time-Only
Special Order Example
One-Time-Only
Special Order Example
Total fixed direct manufacturing labor is $45,000. Total fixed overhead is $105,000.
Marketing costs per unit are $7 ($5 of which is variable).
One-Time-Only
Special Order Example
One-Time-Only
Special Order Example
A hotel in San Juan has offered to buy 5,000 towels from Bismark Co. at $11.50/towel for a total of $57,500. No marketing costs will be incurred.
Variable ($8.50 + $5.00): $13.50
Fixed: 7.00
One-Time-Only
Special Order Example
One-Time-Only
Special Order Example
$8.50 × 5,000 = $42,500 incremental costs What are the incremental revenues ?
What are the relevant costs of making the towels ?
Learning Objective 4
Learning Objective 4
Beware of two potential
problems in
Two Potential Problems in
Relevant-Cost Analysis
Two Potential Problems in
Relevant-Cost Analysis
Incorrect general assumptions: All variable costs
are relevant. All fixed costs
are irrelevant. 1 2 Misleading unit-cost data: Include irrelevant costs. Use same unit costs at different
Outsourcing versus Insourcing
Outsourcing versus Insourcing
Outsourcing is purchasing goods and services from outside vendors.
Make-or-Buy Decisions Example
Make-or-Buy Decisions Example
Bismark Co. also manufactures bath accessories. Management is considering producing a part it
Make-or-Buy Decisions Example
Make-or-Buy Decisions Example
Bismark Co. has the following costs for 150,000 units of Part #2:
Direct materials $ 28,000
Direct labor 18,500
Mixed overhead 29,000
Variable overhead 15,000
Fixed overhead 30,000
Make-or-Buy Decisions Example
Make-or-Buy Decisions Example
Mixed overhead consists of material handling and setup costs.
Bismark Co. produces the 150,000 units in 100 batches of 1,500 units each.
Total material handling and setup costs equal fixed costs of $9,000 plus variable
Make-or-Buy Decisions Example
Make-or-Buy Decisions Example
What is the cost per unit for Part #2? $120,500 ÷ 150,000 units = $0.8033/unit Should Bismark Co. manufacture the part
Make-or-Buy Decisions Example
Make-or-Buy Decisions Example
Bismark Co. anticipates that next year the 150,000 units of Part #2 expected to be
Make-or-Buy Decisions Example
Make-or-Buy Decisions Example
Variable costs per batch are expected to decrease to $100.
Bismark Co. plans to continue to produce 150,000 next year at the same variable manufacturing costs per unit as this year.
Make-or-Buy Decisions Example
Make-or-Buy Decisions Example
What is the variable manufacturing cost per unit?
$61,500 ÷ 150,000 = $0.41 per unit
Direct material $28,000
Direct labor 18,500
Variable overhead 15,000
Make-or-Buy Decisions Example
Make-or-Buy Decisions Example
Expected relevant cost to make Part #2:
Cost to buy: (150,000 × $0.55) $82,500
Manufacturing $61,500
Material handling and setups 15,000*
Total relevant cost to make $76,500
*150 × $100 = $15,000
Make-or-Buy Decisions Example
Make-or-Buy Decisions Example
Now assume that the $9,000 in fixed clerical salaries to support material handling and
setup will not be incurred if Part #2 is purchased from Towson Co..
Make-or-Buy Decisions Example
Make-or-Buy Decisions Example
Relevant cost to make:
Variable $76,500
Fixed 9,000
Total $85,500
Cost to buy: $82,500
Learning Objective 5
Learning Objective 5
Explain the opportunity-cost
concept and why it is
Opportunity Costs,
Outsourcing, and Constraints
Opportunity Costs,
Outsourcing, and Constraints
Assume that if Bismark buys the part from Towson, it can use the facilities previously
used to manufacture Part #2 to produce Part #3 for Krysta Company.
The expected additional future operating income is $18,000.
Opportunity Costs,
Outsourcing, and Constraints
Opportunity Costs,
Outsourcing, and Constraints
Bismark Co. has three options regarding Krysta: 1. Make Part #2 and do not make Part #3.
2. Buy Part #2 and do not make Part #3.
Opportunity Costs,
Outsourcing, and Constraints
Opportunity Costs,
Outsourcing, and Constraints
Expected cost of obtaining 150,000 parts:
Buy Part #2 and do not make Part #3: $82,500 Buy Part #2 and make Part #3:
$82,500 – $18,000 = $64,500
Opportunity Costs,
Outsourcing, and Constraints
Opportunity Costs,
Outsourcing, and Constraints
Opportunity cost is the contribution to income that is forgone (rejected) by not using a
Opportunity Costs,
Outsourcing, and Constraints
Opportunity Costs,
Outsourcing, and Constraints
Assume that annual estimated Part #2 requirements for next year is 150,000.
Cost per purchase order is $40. Cost per unit when each purchase is
1,500 units = $0.55.
Opportunity Costs,
Outsourcing, and Constraints
Opportunity Costs,
Outsourcing, and Constraints
Average investment in inventory is either: (1,500 × .55) ÷ 2 = $412.50 or
(150,000 × $0.54) = $40,500
Annual interest rate for investment in government bonds is 6%.
Opportunity Costs,
Outsourcing, and Constraints
Opportunity Costs,
Outsourcing, and Constraints
Option A: Make 100 purchases of 1,500 units: Purchase order costs: (100 × $40) $ 4,000.00
Purchase costs: (150,000 × $0.55) $82,500.00
Annual interest income: $ 24.75
Opportunity Costs,
Outsourcing, and Constraints
Opportunity Costs,
Outsourcing, and Constraints
Option B: Make 1 purchase of 150,000 units: Purchase order costs: (1 × $40) $ 40
Purchase costs: (150,000 × $0.54) $81,000
Annual interest income: $ 2,430
Learning Objective 6
Learning Objective 6
Know how to choose which
Product-Mix Decisions
Under Capacity Constraints
Product-Mix Decisions
Under Capacity Constraints
Per unit Product #2 Product #3
Sales price $2.11 $14.50
Variable expenses 0.41 13.90
Contribution margin $1.70 $ 0.60
Product-Mix Decisions
Under Capacity Constraints
Product-Mix Decisions
Under Capacity Constraints
One unit of Prod. #2 requires 7 machine-hours. One unit of Prod. #3 requires 2 machine-hours.
What is the contribution of each product per machine-hour?
Learning Objective 7
Learning Objective 7
Discuss what managers
must consider when
Profitability, Activity-Based
Costing, and Relevant Costs
Profitability, Activity-Based
Costing, and Relevant Costs
Mountain View Furniture supplies furniture to two local retailers – Stevens and Cohen.
The company has a monthly capacity of 3,000 machine-hours.
Profitability, Activity-Based
Costing, and Relevant Costs
Profitability, Activity-Based
Costing, and Relevant Costs
Stevens Cohen
Revenues $200,000 $100,000
Variable costs 70,000 60,000
Fixed costs 100,000 50,000
Total operating costs $170,000 $110,000
Operating income $ 30,000 $(10,000)
Profitability, Activity-Based
Costing, and Relevant Costs
Profitability, Activity-Based
Costing, and Relevant Costs
Total
Revenues $300,000
Variable costs 130,000
Fixed costs 150,000
Total operating costs $280,000
Operating income $ 20,000
Profitability, Activity-Based
Costing, and Relevant Costs
Profitability, Activity-Based
Costing, and Relevant Costs
Should Mountain View Furniture drop the Cohen business, assuming that dropping Cohen would
decrease its total fixed costs by 10%? New fixed costs would be:
Profitability, Activity-Based
Costing, and Relevant Costs
Profitability, Activity-Based
Costing, and Relevant Costs
Stevens Alone
Revenues $200,000
Variable costs 70,000 Fixed costs 135,000
Total operating costs $205,000 Operating income $ (5,000)
Profitability, Activity-Based
Costing, and Relevant Costs
Profitability, Activity-Based
Costing, and Relevant Costs
Cohen’s business is providing a contribution margin of $40,000.
$40,000 decrease in contribution margin – $15,000 decrease in fixed costs
Profitability, Activity-Based
Costing, and Relevant Costs
Profitability, Activity-Based
Costing, and Relevant Costs
Assume that if Mountain View Furniture drops Cohen’s business it can lease the excess capacity
to the Perez Corporation for $70,000. Fixed costs would not decrease.
Learning Objective 8
Learning Objective 8
Explain why the book value
of equipment is irrelevant in
Equipment-Replacement
Decisions Example
Equipment-Replacement
Decisions Example
Existing Replacement Machine Machine
Original cost $80,000 $105,000
Useful life 4 years 4 years
Accumulated depreciation $50,000
Book value $30,000
Disposal price $14,000
Equipment-Replacement
Decisions Example
Equipment-Replacement
Decisions Example
Ignoring the time value of money and income taxes, should the company
replace the existing machine?
The cost savings over a 4-year period will be $36,000 × 4 = $144,000.
Learning Objective 9
Learning Objective 9
Explain how conflicts can arise
between the decision model
used by a manager and the
Decisions and
Performance Evaluation
Decisions and
Performance Evaluation
What is the journal entry to sell the existing machine?
Cash 14,000
Accumulated Depreciation 50,000
Loss on Disposal 16,000
Decisions and
Performance Evaluation
Decisions and
Performance Evaluation
In the real world would the manager replace the machine?
An important factor in replacement decisions is the manager’s perceptions of whether the
Decisions and
Performance Evaluation
Decisions and
Performance Evaluation
Top management faces a challenge – that is, making sure that the performance-evaluation