Consider the Six Costs That Follow

question 62

Essay

Consider the six costs that follow.
1. Advertising and promotion costs of a do-it-yourself retailer
2. Surgical supplies used in a hospital's operating room
3. Aircraft depreciation charges of an airline
4. Utility charges that include a minimum-use fee, for a small business
5. Annual business licensing fee paid by a daycare center
6. Truck fuel consumed by a road construction company
Required:
A. Classify each of these costs as variable, committed fixed, discretionary fixed, or semivariable.
B. Briefly describe the behavior of a per-unit variable cost as activity changes.
C. What elements are present in a semivariable cost that cause it to behave in a semivariable manner?
D. Generally speaking, does management have more flexibility when dealing with committed fixed costs or discretionary fixed costs?

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Definitions:

First Stage Allocations

The process of assigning indirect costs to different departments or cost centers within a business.

Equipment Depreciation

The process of allocating the cost of tangible assets over their useful lives, reflecting the decrease in value due to use, wear and tear, or obsolescence.

Supervisory Expense

Costs associated with managerial or oversight activities within an organization, typically involving salaries and benefits of supervising staff.

Activity-Based Costing

A costing method that assigns overhead and indirect costs to specific activities related to production.