Fixed and Variable Costs
In accounting, there are really two types of costs that affect business expenses: Fixed and Variable. They may be thought of in general as a system in which fixed costs form the base and variable costs ride on top, but may increase or decrease based on individual organization differences and structures (See figure 1). Fixed costs are expenses that are not dependent upon the goods or services produced by the organization, but are costs that occur on a regular basis, regardless of what the business does. In other words, these costs are "fixed" over time -- often referred to as overhead. For example, regardless of production, an organization must pay rent, utilities, insurance, etc. each and every month (Hansen, D., et al., 2009).
Variable costs, in contrast, change over time in proportion to the goods or services provided by the business. They are also known as marginal costs or operating costs and there are several components. Labor, for instance, can be a variable cost if it is in proportion to the amount of production. However, if labor is contracted or unionized, and must be paid whether there is adequate work or not, it changes to become a conversion cost. Variable costs may be best understood...
Balance Sheet Financial analysis is critical to determining the intrinsic value of a company. Analysts, hedge funds, institutional investors and retail investors alike all use various forms of information to determine a fair price to pay for a security. This information is generally acquired through the financial statements of the particular company being researched. In addition to the many forms of information gathering within the market, there are also many philosophies
fixed costs that Cat and Dogs, Inc. have include rent and executive salaries, which are paid no matter how many units the company builds. The company's total fixed costs are $113,200 per month. Variable costs are the factory labor and raw materials, which are $2.20 per unit ($1.50 labor plus $.70 raw materials). The company's gross profit margin per unit is 72.5%, calculated as $5.80 ($8.00 per unit sales
Even the lowest-level managers and employees are empowered to make decisions and have that valued democratic voice. ADVANTAGES: An advantage of this form of measurement is that it tends to be more encompassing, since it accounts for all uses of capital. It is susceptible to manipulation by managers with a short-term focus, or by manipulating the hurdle rate used to evaluate divisions. The frequently occurring problem, in concern to a lack
However, none was found that centered on small hotels in China. This research add to the existing body of research by providing an assessment of the balanced scorecard method in this special business setting. The information obtained by this study will help to make small hotels in China more competitive and able to compete well into the future. This research will play an important role in the development of the
Accounting This accounting report is intended to emphasize the importance of the role of a management accountant in business operational and financial decisions. The focus on two companies engaging in different lines of business with disparate concerns, questions, and issues provides a basis for the reader to understand specific instances in which a management accountant can play a pivotal role in the success of an enterprise. W. White Chemicals was perplexed
The service offered relies on high level of capital investments in aircraft, as well as the support services. The variable cost per passenger is relativity low. The airlines will seek to minimize their variable costs as the same time as using the capital investments in a wise manner to maximize revenues. One example of this is Southwest Airlines, the founder of the low cost carrier model, where the variable
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