In this case, management needs assistance in evaluating andclassifying costs identified within Glaser Health Products in orderto implement an activity-based costing system. Please addressQuestions 1 through 6 at the end of the case. Based on the casequestions, you are required to provide a two to four double-spacedwritten report providing management with the necessary guidance inimplementing an activity-based costing system. The written reportshould be properly formatted according to APA guidelines anddemonstrate research and critical thinking skills. Explanations andrecommendations should be supported by at least 3 scholarly sourcesfrom the Ashford Library or other external sources, excluding thetextbook.
For Questions 1 through 3, create a chart to classify andidentify a cost driver for each of the costs provided in the text.The chart should be included as an appendix to the written report.Explanations of the classifications and identifications within thechart should be included within the written report, supported byreferences to the appendix.
Questions 4 through 6 should be addressed in fully developedexplanations/instructions as part of your written report. Thewritten analysis should be supported by at least three scholarlysources, excluding the textbook.
CASE 5A -- GLASER HEALTH PRODUCTâ:
Glaser Health Products of Ranier Falls, Georgia, is organizedfunctionally into three divisions: Operations, Sales, andAdministrative. Purchasing, receiving, materials and productioncontrol, manufacturing, factory personnel, inventory stores, andshipping activities are under the control of the vice-president foroperations, George Gottlieb. Advertising, market research, andsales are the responsibility of the vicepresident for sales, JakeBogan. Accounting, budgeting, the firm's computer center, andgeneral office management are delegated to the corporate controller(Administrative), Charlie Kaplan. The following cost categories arefound in the company as a whole:
(a) Depreciation on factory equipment.
(b) Depreciation on office equipment.
(c) Depreciation on factory building.
(d) Advertising manager's salary.
(e) Assembly foreman's salary.
(f) Salespersons' salaries.
(g) Salespersons' travel expenses.
(h) Supplies for the Machining Department.
(i) Advertising supplies used.
(j) Electricity for the Assembly Department.
(k) Lost materials (scrap) in a MachiningDepartment.
(l) Direct labor in the Assembly Department.
(m) Supplies for the sales office.
(n) Sales commissions.
(o) Packing supplies.
(p) Cost of hiring new employees.
(q) Payroll fringe benefits for workers in theShipping Department.
(r) Supplies for Production Scheduling.
(s) Cost of repairing parts improperly manufacturedin the Machining Department.
(t) Paint for the Assembly Department.
(u) Heat, light, and power for the factory.
(v) Leasing of computer equipment for the AccountingDepartment.
Required:
1. Identify each of the costs with the appropriate division:Operations, Sales, Administrative.
2. Identify each of the costs with one of thefollowing: (a) Unit-levelactivities. (c) Product-levelactivities. (b) Batch-levelactivities. (d) Facility-level activities. Organize theseclassifications by division: Operations, Sales, Administrative.
3. Specify an appropriate cost driver for tracing costsassociated with the various levels of activities to the next costobjective or products, whichever is appropriate.
4. Glaser Health Products is interested in using activity-basedcosting to identify as many costs as possible with the products.These costs will be used for planning and control decisions ratherthan for inventory valuation. The controller decided that alloperation costs will be related to products but only those salesand administrative costs that are classified as unit-level,batch-level, or product-level costs
should be related to products. Using preliminary stage costdrivers, explain how individual items of costs will be traced toactivity groupings.
5. Using primary stage cost drivers, show how the costs shouldbe related to products.
6. Explain why it is necessary to use preliminary stage andprimary stage cost drivers.
