Kenyon Company Produces Two Products (F56 and F57), Applying Manufacturing

Essay

Kenyon Company produces two products (F56 and F57), applying manufacturing overhead on the basis of direct labour hours. Anticipated unit production costs (material, labour, and overhead) and manufacturing volumes are:
F56: 2,000 units, $234
F57: 3,500 units, $271
Kenyon's overhead arises because of various activities, one of which is purchase-order processing. Budgeted cost for this activity is expected to be $70,000. The firm believes that the number of purchase orders processed is a key cost driver and expects the following activity for its products: F56, 10 purchase orders; F57, 40 purchase orders. Kenyon's selling prices are based heavily on cost.
Required:
A. Activity-based costing (ABC) is said to result in improved costing accuracy when compared with traditional costing procedures. Briefly explain how this improved accuracy is attained.
B. Compute:
1. the pool rate for purchase-order processing.2. the purchase-order processing cost to be charged to one unit of F56.3. Assume that Kenyon switched to activity-based costing and calculated total unit production costs as follows: F56, $285; F57, $220.1. Which of the two products, F56 or F57, was overcosted prior to the change to ABC? No explanation is necessary.2. Which of the two products, F56 or F57, may have been less competitive in the marketplace prior to the change to ABC? Briefly explain.