CostAccountingSeventeenthEdition,GlobalEditionChapter16AllocationofSupport-DepartmentCosts,CommonCosts,andRevenues
LearningObjectives(1of2)16.1Distinguishthesingle-ratemethodfromthedual-ratemethod16.2Understandhowthechoicebetweenallocationbasedonbudgetedandactualratesandbetweenbudgetedandactualusagecanaffecttheincentivesofdivisionmanagers16.3Allocatemultiplesupport-departmentcostsusingthedirectmethod,thestep-downmethod,andthereciprocalmethod16.4Allocatecommoncostsusingthestand-alonemethodandtheincrementalmethod
LearningObjectives(2of2)16.5Explaintheimportanceofexplicitagreementbetweencontractingpartieswhenthereimbursementamountisbasedoncostsincurred16.6Understandhowbundlingofproductscausesrevenueallocationissuesandthemethodsmanagersusetoallocaterevenues
AllocatingSupportDepartmentCostsUsingSingle-RateandDual-RateMethods(1of2)Howacompanyallocatesitsoverheadandinternalsupportcosts—costsrelatedtomarketing,advertising,andotherinternalservices—amongitsvariousproductiondepartmentsorprojectscanhaveabigimpactonhowprofitablethosedepartmentsorprojectsare.Operating(production)department—directlyaddsvaluetoaproductorservice.Support(service)department—providestheservicesthatassistotherinternaldepartments(operatingdepartmentsandothersupportdepartments)inthecompany.
AllocatingSupportDepartmentCostsUsingSingle-RateandDual-RateMethods(2of2)Managersfacetwoquestionswhenallocatingthecostsofasupportdepartmenttooperatingdepartmentsordivisions:Shouldfixedcostsofsupportdepartmentsbeallocatedtooperatingdivisions?Iffixedcostsareallocated,shouldvariableandfixedcostsofthesupportdepartmentbeallocatedinthesameway?
TwoMethodstoAllocateSupportDepartmentCosts:Single-RateandDual-Rate(1of2)Dependingontheanswertoourfirstquestion(fromtheprio