Question

University Printers has two service departments (Maintenance and Personnel) and two operating departments (Printing and Developing). Management has decided to allocate maintenance costs on the basis of machine-hours in each department and personnel costs on the basis of labor-hours worked by the employees in each. The following data appear in the company records for the current period: Maintenance Personnel Printing Developing Machine-hours — 1,000 1,000 3,000 Labor-hours 500 — 500 2,000 Department direct costs $ 13,000 $ 38,250 $ 47,000 $ 31,500 University Printers estimates that the variable costs in the Personnel Department total $15,000 and in the Maintenance Department variable costs total $7,600. Avoidable fixed costs in the Personnel Department are $5,700. Required: If University Printers outsources the Personnel Department functions, what is the maximum it can pay an outside vendor without increasing total costs? (Do not round intermediate calculations.)

Answer 1

Answer:

First calculate total machine hours

1500 + 1500 + 4500 = 7500 total machine hours

personnel   = 1500/7500 x 4,800

printing   = 1500/7500 x 4,800

developing = 4500/7500 x 4,800

for personnel:

500 printing + 3,500 developing = 4,000

For Departments:

printing        = 500/4,000   x  15,760

developing   = 3,500/4,000x 15,760