Introduction
Peyton Approved Company has given special attention to attaining improved performance. The budget and actual records indicate that there are critical variances that form the basis for the next financial planning. The paper will consider the make-or-buy decisions while examining nonfinancial performance measures.
Initial Budget Process
The budget process is comprised of the sales budget, production budget, manufacturing budget, and raw materials budget. Other areas of the budget process include the company’s accounting of raw materials, direct labor, factory overhead budget, selling budget, and general and administrative expense budget. After the analysis and actual costs, there was the need to examine the variances in the financial performance.
The first quarter’s sales budget was $1,080,000. The company needed to produce 184,800 units. It also needed to purchase raw material units at a total cost of $92,400. Peyton Approved would have to spend $1,478,400 on direct labor. The total overheads totaled $309,480. The cost of sales came to $18,450. The general and administrative budget was $44,100.
Budget Variances and Potential Reasons
During the planning process, the company’s budget for direct materials was $92,400. However, the company ended up spending $31,000. The budget variance for direct materials was -$61,400. This would be considered a favorable outcome (Nobles, Mattison, & Matsumura, 2014).
The potential reasons for the variance could result from the efforts of the production manager to cut down on costs (Nobles et al., 2014). The management could be getting the raw materials from a cheaper supplier. They could also have made good use of mass production to be able to use less time and less effort to produce plenty of products.
For direct labor, there must have been maximization of input from each individual and specialization in specific areas. Savings could also have resulted from multitasking by employees. If an employee performed more than one task, then this practice could save the company money on extra manpower and a higher cost for salaries.
Desirable Changes and Reasons
The company needs to invest in manufacturing machines compatible with mass production. They will help the company to save on production costs. Company management should pursue efficiency through control of costs and labor (Nobles et al., 2014). Maximization of the current labor available should help drive the company’s profitability higher. Investment in sales and marketing should be paramount because they will help move the stock from stores to customers.
Ethical Considerations of the Changes
The whole basis of the company’s existence is to serve its customers well and satisfy its stakeholders. The workers need a good salary and regular increases in their basic income. Once the company consolidates its income, it can review its workers’ income. The company will also sell quality products, which will benefit consumers. In addition, it will help to boost the economy through the payment of taxes.
Make or Buy Decisions
If the company makes the components in-house, it has to negotiate with its suppliers on the cost of the product. It also has to install special machinery for the conversion of raw materials to products. Changes in prices will affect the company greatly. On the other hand, the company can decide to buy ready-made components and just finish the processing of the product. It is cheaper and less involving. Instead of employing or training staff, Peyton Approved can save on labor costs. Production speed will increase. In any event, the management should thoroughly investigate these products for quality.
Non-Financial Performance Measures
The company should provide good service. It has to handle customer concerns in a timely manner. The management needs to hold several meetings with the shop floor staff members to listen to work-related concerns and make sure they understand any new developments. Engaging with workers at all levels helps to build employee morale (Nobles et al., 2014). Customers provide money to the company. If they get good service, they will continue buying the firm’s products. However, it is not always easy to handle all concerns, as some may be out of context. The workers may also think that management’s reason for engaging with them is to get free ideas. They may hold back to see what the organization does about their concerns.
Peyton Approved Company has made efforts to save on material costs and labor expenses. The company can continue reaping great benefits from mass production. It can control its costs with regard to labor, as well as increase marketing activities. Peyton Approved can work on all production and sales requirements to achieve much-needed benefits.
References
Nobles, T. L., Mattison, B. L., Matsumura, E. M. (2014). Horngren’s financial and managerial accounting (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.