Eastern Company Currently Produces a Component That It Uses in Making

question 68

Essay

Eastern Company currently produces a component that it uses in making some of its products. The company has calculated the following costs for making the part:
$$\begin{array} { | l | r | } \hline \text { Unit-level costs } & \\\hline \text { Materials } & \$ 20 \\\hline \text { Labor } & 28 \\\hline \text { Overhead } & 2 \\\hline \text { Allocated facility-level costs } & 10 \\\hline \text { Total cost } & \$ 60 \\\hline\end{array}$$ Eastern is considering outsourcing the component. A supplier has offered to sell the component to Eastern for $55 each. Eastern needs 10,000 units each year. If Eastern does outsource the component, it can use the facilities to make another product that would yield contribution margin of $60,000 per year.Required:
1) Should Eastern outsource the component? Support your answer with appropriate computations.2) What qualitative factors should be considered in this decision?

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Definitions:

Pareto Optimal

A scenario in resource distribution where enhancing the welfare of a single person would lead to a detriment to another person.

Utility Function

A mathematical representation that ranks an individual's preferences for various outcomes, reflecting the level of satisfaction or happiness that different bundles of goods and services provide to the individual.

Edgeworth Box

A diagram used in economics to show the distribution of resources and the potential for Pareto improvements within an exchange economy.

Behavioral Economists

Economists who study the effects of psychological, cognitive, emotional, cultural, and social factors on the economic decisions of individuals and institutions.