Discussion Post I: Cost Behavior
This discussion is designed to get you to see the behavior of costs in companies with which they are familiar. You should identify and describe the company. Then, identify three different costs that behave differently. You should identify at least one fixed cost, variable cost and mixed cost and be able to justify their selections.
Think of a company with which you are familiar. Describe the company and their primary product(s)/service(s). Identify a fixed cost, a variable cost, and a mixed cost that company would incur and explain how you determined that those costs would fit those behavior patterns.
Discussion Post II: Budgeting
Most every firm has a budget. In many cases, however, firms use them inappropriately. In extreme cases, the way the budget is used by the firm might actually encourage incorrect decisions. In this discussion, you will get a better feel for how to appropriately use budgets as a guide.
Explain why budgeting is important for a firm. Do you think that a firm's budget should ever be violated (exceeded)? Explain your rationale.
Discussion Post III: Performance Evaluation
In this discussion, we will examine how firms use budget and other information to evaluate the performance of individuals and of the firm. Students should be able to exhibit a familiarity with these concepts and how they are used.
Explain the concepts of responsibility accounting and performance evaluation in your own words. How can these be used by a firm to improve their performance? Describe a balanced scorecard and explain how it differs from a traditional evaluation approach.
The response should include a reference list. Using one-inch margins, Times New Roman 12 pnt font, double-space and APA style of writing and citations.