ABC and Average Cost in a Service Industry

question 53

Essay

ABC and Average Cost in a Service Industry
For many years the Honey Lake Summer Camp had used the number of campers per week to estimate weekly costs. The summer camp is open for ten weeks during the summer with a different number of campers each week. July is busiest with June and the end of August least busy. Costs from the last week of summer camp in 1998 are used to estimate costs for 1999 for pricing purposes. The following costs occurred during the last week of 1998 and the costs of each cost category are expected to be the same for 1999: Cost per camper: $12,200/50 campers = $244/camper
The Honey Lake Summer Camp expects 75 campers during the second week of July.
Required:
a. What is the expected cost of that week using the average cost?
b. What is the expected cost of that week using ABC?

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Definitions:

Substitution Effect

The change in consumption patterns due to a change in the relative prices of goods, leading consumers to substitute away from more expensive items.

Labor Supply Curve

A graphical representation showing the relationship between the number of hours workers are willing to work and the wage rate, typically illustrating that as wages increase, workers will supply more labor hours.

Preferences and Social Norms

The combination of individual desires and the influence of societal expectations on consumer behavior.

Factor of Production

An input used in the production of goods or services, such as labor, capital, land, or entrepreneurship.