The Operations Manager for a Well-Drilling Company Must Recommend Whether

question 176

Multiple Choice

The operations manager for a well-drilling company must recommend whether to build a new facility, expand his existing one, or do nothing. He estimates that long-run profits (in $000) will vary with the amount of precipitation (rainfall) as follows:

If he uses the maximax criterion, which alternative will he decide to select?

• A)do nothing
• B)expand
• C)build new
• D)either do nothing or expand
• E)either expand or build new

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Definitions:

Fixed Overhead Budget Variance

The difference between the actual fixed overhead costs incurred and the budgeted or expected costs, indicating overhead management effectiveness.

Fixed Manufacturing Overhead

Costs that do not vary with the level of production or sales, such as salaries of factory supervisors and rent of the manufacturing facility.

Materials Price Variance

The difference between the actual cost of raw materials and the standard cost multiplied by the quantity of materials purchased, used as a measure of cost control.

Direct Labor Variances

The differences between the budgeted and actual costs of direct labor used in production.