Dan Jacobs, production manager for GreenLife, invested in computer-controlled production machinery last year. He purchased the machinery from Superior Design at a cost of \(3,000,000. A representative from Superior Design has recently contacted Dan because the company has designed an even more efficient piece of machinery. The new design would double the production output of the year-old machinery but would cost GreenLife another \)4,500,000. Jacobs is afraid to bring this new equipment to the company president’s attention because he convinced the president to invest $3,000,000 in the machinery last year.

Explain what is relevant and irrelevant to Jacobs’s dilemma. What should he do?

Short Answer

Expert verified

The production manager must prepare anincremental analysis before making any decision.

Step by step solution

01

Meaning of Relevant Information

Relevant information is an important requirement to draft effective decisions associated with thefuture activities of a business concern. Such information enables an administration to make a purchase or make decisions when anoutsourcing alternative is available.

02

Bifurcation of relevant and irrelevant information

The information associated with theadditional cost and double production output is relevant for the business to make necessary decisions.

Also, the cost spent by the business on the old machinery is sunk cost, which has becomeirrelevant information for the business entity.

Hence, Dan Jacobs, the production manager must prepare adifferential analysis to determine the annualoperating income between the two machines.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

What is differential analysis?

Suppose the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, has approached Collector-Cardz with a special order. The Hall of Fame wishes to purchase 56,000 baseball card packs for a special promotional campaign and offers \(0.38 per pack, a total of \)21,280. Collector-Cardz’s total production cost is \(0.58 per pack, as follows:

Variable costs:

Direct materials \)0.11

Direct labor 0.09

Variable overhead 0.08

Fixed overhead 0.30

Total cost \(0.58

Collector-Cardz has enough excess capacity to handle the special order.

Requirements

1. Prepare a differential analysis to determine whether Collector-Cardz should accept the special sales order.

2. Now assume that the Hall of Fame wants special hologram baseball cards. Collector-Cardz will spend \)5,700 to develop this hologram, which will be useless after the special order is completed. Should Collector-Cardz accept the special order under these circumstances, assuming no change in the special pricing of $0.38 per pack?

Refer to Exercise E25-13. Assume that Video Avenue can avoid $39,000 of direct fixed costs by dropping the DVD product line. Prepare a differential analysis to show whether Video Avenue should stop selling DVDs.

Refer to Exercise E25-18. Cool Systems needs 79,000 optical switches. By outsourcing them, Cool Systems can use its idle facilities to manufacture another product that will contribute $225,000 to operating income.

Requirements

1. Identify the expected net costs that Cool Systems will incur to acquire 79,000 switches under three alternative plans: make the switches, buy the switches and leave facilities idle, buy the switches and use the idle facilities to make another product.

2. Which plan makes the best use of Cool System’s facilities? Support your answer.

Edna Fashions operates three departments: Men’s, Women’s, and Accessories. Departmental operating income data for the third quarter of 2018 are as follows:

EDNA FASHIONS

Income Statement

For the Quarter Ended September 30, 2018

Department

Men’s Women’s Accessories Total

Net Sales Revenue \(101,000 \)59,000 \(102,000 \)262,000

Variable Costs 65,000 35,000 91,000 191,000

Contribution Margin 36,000 24,000 11,000 71,000

Fixed Costs 27,000 19,000 29,000 75,000

Operating Income \(9,000 \)5,000 \((18,000) \)(4,000)

Assume that the fixed costs assigned to each department include only direct fixed costs of the department:

• Salary of the department’s manager

• Cost of advertising directly related to that department

If Edna Fashions drops a department, it will not incur these fixed costs. Under these circumstances, should Edna Fashions drop any of the departments? Give your reasoning.

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