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Multiple Choice
What is a primary weakness of the departmental and plantwide overhead rate methods?
A
They require complex and expensive software to implement.
B
They are only applicable to service organizations, not manufacturing.
C
They may not accurately assign overhead costs to products that use resources differently.
D
They eliminate the need for any cost allocation.
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand the concept of overhead allocation: Overhead costs are indirect costs that cannot be directly traced to a specific product or service. Methods like departmental and plantwide overhead rates are used to allocate these costs to products or services.
Recognize the primary weakness: Both departmental and plantwide overhead rate methods often rely on a single cost driver (e.g., machine hours or labor hours) to allocate overhead costs. This can lead to inaccuracies when products or services use resources differently.
Consider the implications: If products consume overhead resources in varying proportions, using a single cost driver may result in over- or under-allocation of costs, which can distort product profitability and decision-making.
Compare with alternative methods: Activity-Based Costing (ABC) is an alternative method that uses multiple cost drivers to allocate overhead more accurately, addressing the weakness of departmental and plantwide methods.
Summarize the key point: The primary weakness of departmental and plantwide overhead rate methods is their inability to accurately assign overhead costs to products that use resources differently, which can lead to misrepresentation of costs and profitability.