Cost analysis purposes, Managerial Accounting

Assignment Help:

Cost Analysis purposes

For purposes of cost analysis, the desegregation of the generic value chain into individual value activities should reflect three principles that are not mutually exclusive:

•    The size and growth of the cost symbolized by the activity costs
•    The cost behavior of the activity
•    Competitor differences in executing the activity

Activities should be separated for cost analysis if they represent a significant or rapidly growing percentage of operating costs or assets. While most firms can easily identify the large components of their cost, they frequently overlook smaller but growing value activities that can eventually change their cost structure. Activities that represent a small and stagnant percentage of costs or assets can be grouped together into broader categories.

Activities must also be separated if they have different cost drivers. Activities with similar cost drivers can be safely grouped together. For example, advertising and promotion usually belong in separate value activities because advertising cost is sensitive to scale while promotional costs are largely variable. Any activity a business unit shares with others should also be treated as a separate value activity since conditions in other business units will affect its cost behavior. The same logic applies to any activity that has important linkages with other activities. In practice, one does not always know the drivers of cost behavior at the beginning of an analysis; hence the identification of value activities tends to require several iterations. The initial breakdown of the value chain into activities will inevitably represent a best guess of important differences in cost behavior. Value activities can then be aggregated or disaggregated as further analysis exposes differences or similarities in cost behavior. Usually an aggregated value chain is analyzed first, and then particular value activities that prove to be important are investigated in greater detail.
 
A final test for separating value activities is the behavior of competitors. Significant activities should be treated separately when a competitor performs them in a different way. Differences among competitors raise the possibility that an activity is the source of a relative cost advantage or disadvantage.


Related Discussions:- Cost analysis purposes

Calculate the direct materials costs, XYZ Industries manufactures electroni...

XYZ Industries manufactures electronic testing equipment. XYZ also installs the equipment at customers' sites and ensures that it functions smoothly. Additional information on the

Cost management, Calculate the charges for single and double rooms assuming...

Calculate the charges for single and double rooms assuming that the authority wishes to make a RM10, 000 profits an accommodation

What is the flexible budgets, What is the Flexible budgets  A flexible ...

What is the Flexible budgets  A flexible budget consists of a series of budgets for different level of activity. It therefore varies with the level of activity attained. A flex

Sales, Ask question #MinimumYears Purchase Costs Running cost discount fact...

Ask question #MinimumYears Purchase Costs Running cost discount factor 8% Running cost Savings PVS 0 -7000 -7000 1 2000 0.926 1852 5556 3704 2 2500 0.857 2142.5 5999 3856.5

What are the features of product life cycle costing, Features of product li...

Features of product life cycle costing Product life cycle costing is important due to the following features: 1) product life cycle costing involves tracing of costs and re

#title.standard cost and variances., Direct materials,4yard at$3.50per yard...

Direct materials,4yard at$3.50per yard...$14.00 Direct labor,1.5direct labor hours at $12.00 per direct labor hour....$18 Variableoverhead,1.5 direct labour hours at $2.00 per dire

Determine the nature of accounting, The Nature of Accounting Accounti...

The Nature of Accounting Accounting is process of recording, analyzing, summarizing, and interpreting financial (money-related) activities to allow individuals as well as org

Capital budgeting, A firm wants to buy a new machine and the following quot...

A firm wants to buy a new machine and the following quotation has been received. Cost of machine US$100 000 Freight and insurance US$5 000 The new machine will last for five

Credit investigation, Once the credit information is accumulated the subseq...

Once the credit information is accumulated the subsequent step is to analyze the gathered information and isolate those matters that may need further investigation. The factors whi

Acceptance and allocation of resources , Acceptance and Allocation of Resou...

Acceptance and Allocation of Resources Managers, subsequent a review and analysis of all decision packages, will establish the level of resources to be assigned to each decisi

Write Your Message!

Captcha
Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd