Chapter 18 – Managerial Accounting Concepts and Principles
Chapter Outline Notes
2. Implications for managerial accounting—fraud increases
business costs and management must therefore rely on and
internal control systems that define policy and procedures to:
a. Urge adherence to company policies.
b. Promote efficient operations.
c. Ensure reliable accounting.
d. Protect assets.
3. Ethics are beliefs that distinguish right from wrong. The IMA
(Institute for Management Accountants) has issued a code of
ethics to help accountants involved in solving ethical
dilemmas and provide a “road map” for resolving ethical
conflicts.
II. Managerial Cost Concepts—Costs can be classified based on any
one or combination of the five classifications listed below. To classify
it is necessary to understand costs and operations.
A. Fixed vs. Variable: At a basic level a cost can be classified by how
it behaves with changed in the volume of activity.
1. Fixed Cost: a cost that does not change in total with changes
in the volume of an activity (within a certain range of activity
known as an activity’s relevant range)
2. Variable Cost: a cost that changes in total in proportion to
changes in volume of an activity.
B. Direct vs. Indirect: a cost is traced to a cost object (a product,
process, department, or customer to which costs are assigned).
Cost is classified as either a direct or indirect cost. To classify
must identify the cost object.
1. Direct costs—those traceable to a single cost object.
2. Indirect costs—those that cannot be traced to a single cost
object.
C. Product vs Period Costs: costs classified as capitalized inventory
(product cost) or expensed as incurred (period cost).
1. Product costs—expenditures necessary and integral to finished
products. Include direct materials, direct labor, and indirect
manufacturing costs called overhead. First assigned to
inventory (on balance sheet) and flow to income statement
when become part of cost of goods sold.
2. Period costs—expenditures identified more with a time period
than finished products. Includes selling and general
administrative expenses on the income statement.
D. Identification of Cost Classifications—understanding how to
classify costs in several different ways enables managers to use
cost information for a variety of decisions. Potential multiple
classifications are shown in Exhibit 18-9 in the text.
18-5
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