Need assignment done on concept maps

14-1

Budgetary Control and

Responsibility Accounting

14

Prepared by

Coby Harmon

University of California, Santa Barbara

Westmont College

WILEY

Kimmel ● Weygandt ● Kieso

Survey of Accounting, First Edition

14-2

Prepare flexible budget reports.

CHAPTER OUTLINE

Describe budgetary control and static budget reports.1

2

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Apply responsibility accounting to cost and profit

centers.3

Evaluate performance in investment centers.4

14-3

The use of budgets in controlling operations is known as

budgetary control.

 Takes place by means of budget reports which compare

actual results with planned objectives.

 Provides management with feedback on operations.

 Budget reports can be prepared as frequently as

needed.

 Management analyzes differences between actual and

planned results and determines causes.

LO 1

LEARNING

OBJECTIVE

Describe budgetary control and static

budget reports.1

14-4

Budgetary control involves the following activities.

ILLUSTRATION 14-1

BUDGETARY CONTROL

LO 1

14-5

Works best when a company has a formalized reporting

system which:

1. Identifies the name of the budget report.

2. States the frequency of the report.

3. Specifies the purpose of the report.

4. Indicates the primary recipient(s) of the report.

BUDGETARY CONTROL

LO 1 14-6

Partial budgetary control system for manufacturing company.

ILLUSTRATION 14-2

Budgetary control reporting system

BUDGETARY CONTROL

LO 1

14-7

Budgetary control involves all but one of the following:

a. Modifying future plans.

b. Analyzing differences.

c. Using static budgets.

d. Determining differences between actual and planned

results.

BUDGETARY CONTROL

Question

LO 1 14-8

A static budget is a projection of budget data at one level

of activity.

 When used in budgetary control, each budget included

in the master budget is considered to be static.

 Ignores data for different levels of activity.

 Compares actual results with budget data at the activity

level used in the master budget.

STATIC BUDGET REPORTS

LO 1

14-9

Illustration: Budget and actual sales data for the Rightride

product in the first and second quarters of 2017 are as

follows.

STATIC BUDGET REPORTS

LO 1

ILLUSTRATION 14-3

Budget and actual sales data

14-10

Illustration: Sales budget report for Hayes Company’s first

quarter.

ILLUSTRATION 14-3

ILLUSTRATION 14-4

Sales budget report—

first quarter

STATIC BUDGET REPORTS

LO 1

14-11

Illustration: Budget report for the second quarter contains

one new feature: cumulative year-to-date information.

ILLUSTRATION 14-5

Sales budget report—second quarter

STATIC BUDGET REPORTS

LO 1

ILLUSTRATION 14-3

14-12

 Appropriate for evaluating a manager’s

effectiveness in controlling costs when:

► Actual level of activity closely

approximates master budget

activity level, and/or

► Behavior of costs is fixed in

response to changes in activity.

 Appropriate for fixed costs.

 Not appropriate for variable costs.

Uses and Limitations

STATIC BUDGET REPORTS

LO 1

14-13

A static budget is useful in controlling costs when cost

behavior is:

a. Mixed.

b. Fixed.

c. Variable.

d. Linear.

STATIC BUDGET REPORTS

Question

LO 1 14-14

Lawler Company expects to produce 5,000 units of product CV93

during the current month. Budgeted variable manufacturing costs per

unit are direct materials $6, direct labor $15, and overhead $24.

Monthly budgeted fixed manufacturing overhead costs are $10,000 for

depreciation and $5,000 for supervision.

In the current month, Lawler actually produced 5,500 units and

incurred the following costs: direct materials $33,900, direct labor

$74,200, variable overhead $120,500, depreciation $10,000, and

supervision $5,000.

Prepare a static budget report. (Hint: The Budget column is based on

estimated production of 5,000 units while the Actual column is the

actual costs incurred during the period.)

LO 1

DO IT! Static Budget Reports1

14-15

SOLUTION

LO 1

DO IT! Static Budget Reports1

14-16

Flexible budget projects budget data for various levels of

activity.

 Essentially a series of static budgets

at different activity levels.

 Budgetary process more useful if it is

adaptable to changes in operating

conditions.

 Can be prepared for each type of

budget in the master budget.

LO 2

LEARNING

OBJECTIVE Prepare flexible budget reports.2

14-17

Illustration: Barton Robotics, static budget based on a production

volume of 10,000 units of robotic controls. ILLUSTRATION 14-6 Static overhead budget

WHY FLEXIBLE BUDGETS?

LO 2 14-18 ILLUSTRATION 14-7

Overhead static budget report

Illustration: Overhead Static Budget report assuming 12,000 units

were actually produced, rather than 10,000 units.

LO 2

14-19

 Over budget in three of six overhead costs.

► Unfavorable difference of $132,000 – 12% over budget.

 Comparison based on budget data for 10,000 units - the

original activity level which is not relevant.

► Meaningless to compare actual variable costs for 12,000

units with budgeted variable costs for 10,000 units.

► Variable cost increase with production.

Budgeted variable amounts should increase

proportionately with production

WHY FLEXIBLE BUDGETS?

LO 2 14-20

Illustration: Analyzing the budget data for these costs at 10,000 units,

you arrive at the following per unit results.

ILLUSTRATION 14-8

Variable costs per unit

ILLUSTRATION 14-9

Budgeted variable costs,

12,000 units

WHY FLEXIBLE BUDGETS?

LO 2

14-21

Illustration: Prepare the budget report based on the flexible budget

for 12,000 units of production. ILLUSTRATION 14-10

14-22

1. Identify the activity index and the relevant range of

activity.

2. Identify the variable costs and determine the budgeted

variable cost per unit of activity for each cost.

3. Identify the fixed costs and determine the budgeted

amount for each cost.

4. Prepare the budget for selected increments of activity

within the relevant range.

DEVELOPING THE FLEXIBLE BUDGET

LO 2

14-23

Just What the Doctor Ordered?

Nobody is immune from the effects of declining revenues—not even

movie stars. When the number of viewers of the television show

“House,” a medical drama, declined by almost 20%, Fox Broadcasting

said it wanted to cut the license fee that it paid to NBC Universal by

20%. What would NBCUniversal do in response? It might cut the size

of the show’s cast, which would reduce the payroll costs associated with

the show. Or, it could reduce the number of episodes that take

advantage of the full cast. Alternatively, it might threaten to quit

providing the show to Fox altogether and instead present the show on

its own NBC-affiliated channels.

Source: Sam Schechner, “Media Business Shorts: NBCU, Fox Taking Scalpel to

‘House’,” Wall Street Journal Online (April 17, 2011).

Service Company Insight NBCUniversal

LO 2 14-24

Illustration: Fox Company’s management uses a flexible budget

for monthly comparisons of actual and budgeted manufacturing

overhead costs of the Finishing Department. The master budget

for the year ending December 31, 2017, shows expected annual

operating capacity of 120,000 direct labor hours and the following

overhead costs.

ILLUSTRATION 14-11

Master budget data

FLEXIBLE BUDGET – A CASE STUDY

LO 2

14-25

Four steps for developing the flexible budget.

1. Identify the activity index and the relevant range of activity.

► Activity index: direct labor hours.

► Relevant range: 8,000 – 12,000 direct labor hours per month.

2. Identify variable costs and determine the budgeted variable

cost per unit of activity for each cost.

ILLUSTRATION 14-12

FLEXIBLE BUDGET – A CASE STUDY

LO 2 14-26

Four steps for developing the flexible budget.

3. Identify the fixed costs and determine the budgeted amount

for each cost.

► Three fixed costs per month:

 Depreciation $15,000.

 Supervision $10,000.

 Property taxes $5,000.

4. Prepare the budget for selected increments of activity within

the relevant range.

► Prepared in increments of 1,000 direct labor hours.

FLEXIBLE BUDGET – A CASE STUDY

LO 2

14-27

Monthly overhead flexible budget ILLUSTRATION 14-13 Monthly overhead flexible budget

LO 2 14-28

Determine total budgeted costs for Fox Manufacturing Company with

fixed costs of $30,000 and total variable cost $4 per direct labor

hour:

 9,000 direct labor hours: $30,000 + ($4 x 9,000) = $66,000

 8,622 direct labor hours: $30,000 + ($4 x 8,622) = $64,488

Fox uses the formula below to determine total budgeted costs at

any level of activity. ILLUSTRATION 14-14 Formula for total budgeted costs

FLEXIBLE BUDGET – A CASE STUDY

LO 2

14-29

Graphic flexible budget data highlighting 10,000 and 12,000

activity levels.

ILLUSTRATION 14-15

Graphic flexible budget

data highlighting 10,000

and 12,000 activity

levels

FLEXIBLE BUDGET – A CASE STUDY

LO 2 14-30

 Widely used in production and service departments.

 A type of internal report.

 Consists of two sections:

► Production data for a selected activity index, such

as direct labor hours.

► Cost data for variable and fixed costs.

 Widely used in production and service departments to

evaluate a manager’s performance.

FLEXIBLE BUDGET REPORTS

LO 2

14-31 LO 2

ILLUSTRATION 14-16

Overhead flexible budget report 14-32

Budgets and the Exotic Newcastle Disease

Exotic Newcastle Disease, one of the most infectious bird diseases in

the world, kills so swiftly that many victims die before any symptoms

appear. When it broke out in Southern California, it could have spelled

disaster for the San Diego Zoo. “We have one of the most valuable

collections of birds in the world, if not the most valuable,” says Paula

Brock, CFO of the Zoological Society of San Diego, which operates the

zoo. Bird exhibits were closed to the public for several months (the

disease, which is harmless to humans, can be carried on clothes and

shoes). The tires of arriving delivery trucks were sanitized, as were the

shoes of anyone visiting the zoo’s nonpublic areas. Zookeeper uniforms

had to be changed and cleaned daily. And ultimately, the zoo, with $150

million in revenues, spent almost half a million dollars on quarantine

measures. LO 2

SERVICE COMPANY INSIGHT San Diego Zoo

14-33

Budgets and the Exotic Newcastle Disease

It worked: No birds got sick. Better yet, the damage to the rest of the

zoo’s budget was minimized by another protective measure: the monthly

budget reforecast. “When we get a hit like this, we still have to find a

way to make our bottom line,” says Brock. Thanks to a new planning

process Brock had introduced a year earlier, the zoo’s scientists were

able to raise the financial alarm as they redirected resources to ward off

the disease. “Because we had timely awareness,” she says, “we were

able to make adjustments to weather the storm.”

Source: Tim Reason, “Budgeting in the Real World,” CFO Magazine (July 12,

2005),www.cfodirect.com/cfopublic.nsf/vContentPrint/

649A82C8FF8AB06B85257037004 (accessed July 2005).

LO 2

SERVICE COMPANY INSIGHT San Diego Zoo

14-34

At 9,000 direct labor hours, the flexible budget for indirect

materials is $27,000. If $28,000 of indirect materials costs are

incurred at 9,200 direct labor hours, the flexible budget report

should show the following difference for indirect materials:

a. $1,000 unfavorable.

b. $1,000 favorable.

c. $400 favorable.

d. $400 unfavorable.

Question

FLEXIBLE BUDGETS

LO 2

14-35

In Strassel Company’s

flexible budget graph,

the fixed cost line and

the total budgeted cost

line intersect the

vertical axis at $36,000.

The total budgeted cost

line is $186,000 at an

activity level of 50,000

direct labor hours.

Compute total budgeted

costs at 30,000 direct

labor hours.

LO 2

DO IT! Flexible Budgets2

14-36

Variable costs:

Total budgeted cost line $ 186,000

Fixed costs - 36,000

Variable costs at 50,000 hours 150,000

Activity level at intersect (hours) ÷ 50,000

Variable costs per direct labor hour $ 3

Direct labor hours x 30,000

Total variable costs 90,000

Total fixed costs + 36,000

Total budgeted costs $ 126,000

In Strassel Company’s flexible budget graph, the fixed cost line and the

total budgeted cost line intersect the vertical axis at $36,000. The total

budgeted cost line is $186,000 at an activity level of 50,000 direct labor

hours. Compute total budgeted costs at 30,000 direct labor hours.

LO 2

DO IT! Flexible Budgets2

14-37

Accumulating and reporting costs (and revenues, where

relevant) on the basis of the manager who has the authority to

make the day-to-day decisions about the items.

Conditions:

1. Costs and revenues can be directly associated with the

specific level of management responsibility.

2. Costs and revenues can be controlled by employees at

the level of responsibility with which they are associated.

3. Budget data can be developed for evaluating the

manager’s effectiveness in controlling the costs and

revenues. LO 3

LEARNING

OBJECTIVE

Apply responsibility accounting to

cost and profit centers.3

14-38

Levels of responsibility for controlling costs.

Responsibility Accounting

ILLUSTRATION 14-17

Responsibility for controllable

costs at varying levels of

management

LO 3

14-39

 Responsibility center - any individual who has control and

is accountable for activities.

 May extend to any level of management.

 Especially valuable in a decentralized company.

► Control of operations delegated to many managers

throughout the organization.

► Segment – area of responsibility for which reports are

prepared.

Responsibility Accounting

LO 3 14-40

 Two differences from budgeting in reporting costs and

revenues:

1. Distinguishes between controllable and

noncontrollable costs.

2. Emphasizes or includes only items controllable by the

individual manager in performance reports.

 Applies to both profit and not-for-profit entities.

► Profit entities: maximize net income.

► Not-for-profit: minimize cost of providing services.

Responsibility Accounting

LO 3

14-41

Competition versus Collaboration

Many compensation and promotion programs encourage competition

among employees for pay raises. To get ahead, you have to perform

better than your fellow employees. While this may encourage hard work,

it does not foster collaboration, and it can lead to distrust and disloyalty.

Such negative effects have led some companies to believe that

cooperation and collaboration, not competition, are essential in order to

succeed in today’s work environment. As a consequence, many

companies now explicitly include measures of collaboration in their

performance measures. For example, Procter & Gamble measures

collaboration in employees’ annual performance reviews. At Cisco

Systems, the assessment of an employee’s teamwork can affect the

annual bonus by as much as 20%.

Source: Carol Hymowitz, “Rewarding Competitors Over Collaboration No

Longer Makes Sense,” Wall Street Journal (February 13, 2006).

MANAGEMENT INSIGHT Proctor & Gamble

LO 3 14-42

Critical issue is whether the cost or revenue is controllable at

the level of responsibility with which it is associated. A cost

over which a manager has control is called a controllable

cost.

1. All costs are controllable by top management.

2. Fewer costs are controllable as one moves down to each

lower level of managerial responsibility.

Costs incurred indirectly and allocated to a responsibility level

are noncontrollable costs.

Controllable Versus Noncontrollable

Revenues and Costs

LO 3

14-43

 Management function that compares actual results

with budget goals.

 Includes both behavioral and reporting principles.

Principles of Performance Evaluations

LO 3 14-44

Management by exception means that top management’s

review of a budget report is focused primarily on differences

between actual results and planned objectives.

 MATERIALITY - Without quantitative guidelines,

management would have to investigate every budget

difference regardless of the amount.

 CONTROLLABILITY OF THE ITEM - Exception guidelines

are more restrictive for controllable items than for items the

manager cannot control.

Management By Exception

Principles of Performance Evaluation

LO 3

14-45

1. Managers of responsibility centers should have direct input

into the process of establishing budget goals of their area of

responsibility.

2. The evaluation of performance should be based entirely on

matters that are controllable by the manager being

evaluated.

3. Top management should support the evaluation process.

4. The evaluation process must allow managers to respond to

their evaluations.

5. The evaluation should identify both good and poor

performance.

Behavioral Principles

Principles of Performance Evaluation

LO 3 14-46

1. Contain only data controllable by manager of responsibility

center.

2. Provide accurate and reliable budget data to measure

performance.

3. Highlight significant differences between actual results and

budget goals.

4. Be tailor-made for intended evaluation.

5. Be prepared at reasonable intervals.

Reporting Principles

Principles of Performance Evaluation

LO 3

14-47

Flexible Manufacturing Requires Flexible Accounting

Flexible budgeting is useful because it enables managers to evaluate

performance in light of changing conditions. But the ability to react quickly to

changing conditions is even more important. Among automobile manufacturing

facilities in the U.S., few plants are more flexible than Honda. The

manufacturing facilities of some auto companies can make slight alterations to

the features of a vehicle in response to changes in demand for particular

features. But for most plants, to switch from production of one type of vehicle to

a completely different one typically takes months and costs hundreds of millions

of dollars. At the Honda plant, however, the switch takes minutes. For example,

it takes about five minutes to install different hand-like parts on the robots so

they can switch from making Civic compacts to the longer, taller CR-V

crossover. This ability to adjust quickly to changing demand gave Honda a huge

advantage when gas prices surged and demand for more fuel-efficient cars

increased quickly.

Source: Kate Linebaugh, “Honda’s Flexible Plants Provide Edge,” Wall Street Journal

Online (September 23, 2008).

MANAGEMENT INSIGHT Honda

LO 3 14-48

 Involves preparation of a report for each level of

responsibility in the company's organization chart.

 Begins with the lowest level of responsibility and moves

upward to higher levels.

 Permits management by exception at each level of

responsibility.

 Each higher level can obtain the detailed report for

each lower level.

RESPONSIBILITY REPORTING SYSTEM

LO 3

14-49

ILLUSTRATION 14-18

Partial organization chart

LO 3 14-50

Report B

Vice president sees

summary of controllable

costs in his/her functional

area.

Report C

Plant manager sees

summary of controllable

costs for each department

in the plant.

Report D

Department manager sees

controllable costs of his/her

department.

ILLUSTRATION 14-19

Responsibility reporting system

 Permits comparative

evaluations.

 Plant manager can rank

each department

manager’s effectiveness

in controlling

manufacturing costs.

 Comparative rankings

provide incentive for a

manager to control costs.

RESPONSIBILITY

REPORTING Report A

President sees

summary

data of vice

presidents.

14-51

Report B

Vice president sees

summary of

controllable costs in

his/her functional

area.

ILLUSTRATION 14-19

Responsibility reporting

system

Report A

President sees

summary data of

vice presidents.

14-52

Report C

Plant manager sees

summary of

controllable costs

for each department

in the plant.

ILLUSTRATION 14-19

Responsibility reporting

system

Report B

Vice president

sees summary of

controllable costs

in his/her

functional area.

14-53

Report D

Department

manager sees

controllable costs of

his/her department.

ILLUSTRATION 14-19

Responsibility reporting

system

Report C

Plant manager

sees summary of

controllable costs

for each

department in the

plant.

LO 3 14-54

Three basic types:

 Cost center

► Incurs costs but does not directly generate revenues.

► Managers have authority to incur costs.

► Managers evaluated on ability to control costs.

► Usually a production department or a service

department.

 Profit center

 Investment center

TYPES OF RESPONSIBILITY CENTERS

LO 3

14-55

Three basic types:

 Cost center

 Profit center

► Incurs costs and generates revenues.

► Managers judged on profitability of center.

► Examples include individual departments of a retail

store or branch bank offices.

 Investment center

TYPES OF RESPONSIBILITY CENTERS

LO 3 14-56

Three basic types:

 Cost center

 Profit center

 Investment center

► Incurs costs, generates revenues, and has investment

funds available for use.

► Manager evaluated on profitability of the center and rate

of return earned on funds.

► Often a subsidiary company or a product line.

► Manager able to control or significantly influence

investment decisions such as plant expansion.

TYPES OF RESPONSIBILITY CENTERS

LO 3

14-57

ILLUSTRATION 14-20

Types of responsibility centers

TYPES OF RESPONSIBILITY CENTERS

LO 3 14-58

Under responsibility accounting, the evaluation of a

manager’s performance is based on matters that the

manager:

a. Directly controls.

b. Directly and indirectly controls.

c. Indirectly controls.

d. Has shared responsibility for with another manager.

Question

TYPES OF RESPONSIBILITY CENTERS

LO 3

14-59

 Based on a manager’s ability to meet budgeted goals

for controllable costs.

 Results in responsibility reports which compare actual

controllable costs with flexible budget data.

► Include only controllable costs in reports.

► No distinction between variable and fixed costs.

Responsibility Accounting for Cost Centers

TYPES OF RESPONSIBILITY CENTERS

LO 3 14-60

Illustration: The following report is adapted from the flexible

budget report for Fox Company in ILLUSTRATION 14-16.

TYPES OF RESPONSIBILITY CENTERS

LO 3

ILLUSTRATION 14-21

Responsibility report for a cost center

14-61

Illustration: This report assumes:

 Finishing Department manager is able to control all

manufacturing overhead costs except depreciation,

property taxes, and his own monthly salary of $6,000.

 Remaining $4,000 ($10,000 - $6,000) of supervision

costs are assumed to apply to other supervisory

personnel within the Finishing Department, whose

salaries are controllable by the manager.

TYPES OF RESPONSIBILITY CENTERS

LO 3 14-62

 Based on detailed information about both controllable

revenues and controllable costs.

 Manager controls operating revenues earned, such as

sales.

 Manager controls all variable costs incurred by the

center because they vary with sales.

Responsibility Accounting For Profit Centers

TYPES OF RESPONSIBILITY CENTERS

LO 3

14-63

 Direct fixed costs

► Relate specifically to one responsibility center.

► Incurred for the sole benefit of the center.

► Called traceable costs since they can be traced

directly to one center.

► Most direct fixed costs are controllable by the profit

center manager.

DIRECT AND INDIRECT FIXED COSTS

Responsibility Accounting For Profit

Centers

LO 3 14-64

 Indirect fixed costs

► Pertain to a company's overall operating activities.

► Incurred for the benefit of more than one profit center.

► Called common costs since they apply to more than

one center.

► Most are not controllable by the profit center

manager.

DIRECT AND INDIRECT FIXED COSTS

LO 3

Responsibility Accounting For Profit

Centers

14-65

 Budgeted and actual controllable revenues and costs.

 Uses cost-volume-profit income statement format:

► Deduct controllable fixed costs from the contribution

margin.

► Controllable margin - excess of contribution margin

over controllable fixed costs.

► Noncontrollable fixed costs are not reported.

RESPONSIBILITY REPORT

LO 3

Responsibility Accounting For Profit

Centers

14-66

Note the report does not show the noncontrollable fixed costs of $60,000. These

costs would be included in a report on the profitability of the profit center.

ILLUSTRATION 14-22

Responsibility report

for profit center

LO 3

14-67

In a responsibility report for a profit center, controllable fixed

costs are deducted from contribution margin to show:

a. Profit center margin

b. Controllable margin

c. Net income

d. Income from operations

Question

Types of Responsibility Centers

LO 3 14-68

Midwest Division operates as a profit center. It reports the following for

the year:

Prepare a responsibility report for

December 31, 2017.

LO 3

DO IT! Profit Center Responsibility

Report3

14-69

Return on investment (ROI) is the primary basis for

evaluating the performance of a manager of an investment

center.

 Shows the effectiveness of the manager in using the

assets at his/her disposal.

 Factors in ROI formula are controllable by manager.

LO 4

LEARNING

OBJECTIVE

Evaluate performance in investment

centers.4

14-70

 Operating assets include current assets and plant assets

used in operations by the center and controlled by the

manager.

 Base average operating assets on the beginning and

ending cost or book values of the assets.

RETURN ON INVESTMENT (ROI)

LO 4

ILLUSTRATION 14-23

ROI formula

14-71

 Scope of manager’s responsibility affects content.

 Investment center is an independent entity for

operating purposes.

 All fixed costs are controllable by center manager.

 Shows budgeted and actual ROI below controllable

margin.

RESPONSIBILITY REPORT

LO 4 14-72

Illustration: The Marine Division is an investment center. It has budgeted and

actual average operating assets of $2,000,000.

ILLUSTRATION 14-24

Responsibility report

for investment center

LO 4

14-73

 Valuation of operating assets.

► Acquisition cost, book value, appraised value, or fair

value.

► Each provides a reliable basis for evaluating

performance.

 Margin (income) measure.

► Controllable margin, income from operations, or net

income.

► Only controllable margin is a valid basis for evaluating

performance of investment center manager.

JUDGMENTAL FACTORS IN ROI

LO 4 14-74

Improve ROI by increasing controllable margin, and/or

reducing average operating assets.

ILLUSTRATION 14-25

Assumed data for Laser Division

IMPROVING ROI

LO 4

14-75

Increase ROI by increasing sales or by reducing variable

and controllable fixed costs.

1. Increase sales by 10%.

► Sales increase $200,000 and contribution margin

increases $90,000 ($200,000 X .45).

► Thus, controllable margin increases to $690,000

($600,000 + $90,000).

► New ROI is 13.8%. ILLUSTRATION 14-26

ROI computation—increase in sales

Increasing Controllable Margin

LO 4 14-76

Increase ROI by increasing sales or by reducing variable and

controllable fixed costs.

2. Decrease variable and fixed costs 10%.

► Total costs decrease $140,000 [($1,100,000 + $300,000)

X 10%].

► Controllable margin becomes $740,000.

► New ROI becomes 14.8%.

LO 4

Increasing Controllable Margin

ILLUSTRATION 14-27

ROI computation—decrease in costs

14-77

► Assume that average operating assets are reduced 10%

or $500,000 ($5,000,000 x .10).

► Average operating assets become $4,500,000.

► Controllable margin remains unchanged at $600,000.

► New ROI is 13.3%.

ILLUSTRATION 14-28

ROI computation—decrease in operating assets

Reducing Average Operating Assets

LO 4 14-78

In the formula for return on investment (ROI), the factors for

controllable margin and operating assets are, respectively:

a. Controllable margin percentage and total operating

assets.

b. Controllable margin dollars and average operating

assets.

c. Controllable margin dollars and total assets.

d. Controllable margin percentage and average operating

assets.

Question

Improving ROI

LO 4

14-79

Does Hollywood Look at ROI?

If Hollywood were run like a real business, where things like return on

investment mattered, there would be one unchallenged, sacred principle that

studio chieftains would never violate: Make lots of G-rated movies. No matter

how you slice the movie business—by star vehicles, by budget levels, or by

sequels or franchises—by far the best return on investment comes from the not-

so-glamorous world of G-rated films. The problem is, these movies represent

only 3% of the total films made in a typical year. On the flip side are the R-rated

films, which dominate the total releases and yet yield the worst return on

investment. A whopping 646 R-rated films were released in a recent year—69%

of the total output—but only four of the top-20 grossing movies of the year were

R-rated films. This trend—G-rated movies are good for business but

underproduced, R-rated movies are bad for business and yet overdone—is

something that has been driving economists batty for the past several years.

Source: David Grainger, “The Dysfunctional Family-Film Business,” Fortune (January 10,

2005), pp. 20–21.

Accounting Across The Organization

LO 4 14-80

The service division of Metro Industries reported the following results for

2017.

Sales $400,000

Variable costs 320,000

Controllable fixed costs 40,800

Average operating assets 280,000

Management is considering the following independent courses of action in

2018 in order to maximize the return on investment.

1. Reduce average operating assets by $80,000, with no change in

controllable margin.

2. Increase sales $80,000, with no change in the contribution margin

percentage.

a. Compute controllable margin and the return on investment for 2017.

b. Compute controllable margin and the expected return on investment.

LO 4

DO IT! Performance Evaluation4

14-81

a. Compute controllable margin and the return on investment for

2017.

LO 4

DO IT! Performance Evaluation4

14-82

b. Compute controllable margin and the expected return on

investment.

LO 4

DO IT! Performance Evaluation4

14-83

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