Responsibility Accounting and Performance Measures Flashcards
1A corporation uses an accounting system that charges costs to the manager who has been delegated
the authority to make the decisions incurring the costs. For example, if the sales manager accepts a rush order that
will result in higher-than-normal manufacturing costs, these additional costs are charged to the sales manager
because the authority to accept or decline the rush order was given to the sales manager. This type of accounting
system is known as
A. Responsibility accounting.
B. Functional accounting.
C. Reciprocal allocation.
D. Transfer price accounting.
Answer (A) is correct.
In a responsibility accounting system, managerial performance should be evaluated only on the basis
of those factors directly regulated (or at least capable of being significantly influenced) by the
manager. For this purpose, operations are organized into responsibility centers. Costs are classified as
controllable and noncontrollable, which implies that some revenues and costs can be changed through
effective management. If a manager has authority to incur costs, a responsibility accounting system
will charge them to the manager’s responsibility center. However, controllability is not an absolute
basis for establishment of responsibility. More than one manager may be able to influence a cost, and
responsibility may be assigned on the basis of knowledge about the incurrence of a cost rather than the
ability to control it.
2The basic purpose of a responsibility accounting system is
A. Budgeting.
B. Motivation.
C. Authority.
D. Variance analysis.
Answer (B) is correct.
The basic purpose of a responsibility accounting system is to motivate management to perform in a
manner consistent with overall company objectives. The assignment of responsibility implies that
some revenues and costs can be changed through effective management. The system should have
certain controls that provide for feedback reports indicating deviations from expectations. Higher-level
management may focus on those deviations for either reinforcement or correction.
3A successful responsibility accounting reporting system is dependent upon
A. The correct allocation of controllable variable costs.
B. Identification of the management level at which all costs are controllable.
C. The proper delegation of responsibility and authority.
D. A reasonable separation of costs into their fixed and variable components since fixed costs are not
controllable and must be eliminated from the responsibility report.
Answer (C) is correct.
Managerial performance should ideally be evaluated only on the basis of those factors controllable by
the manager. Managers may control revenues, costs, and/or investments in resources. However,
controllability is not an absolute. More than one manager may be able to influence a cost, and
managers may be accountable for some costs they do not control. In practice, given the difficulties of
determining the locus of controllability, responsibility may be assigned on the basis of knowledge
about the incurrence of a cost rather than the ability to control it. Accordingly, a successful system is
dependent upon the proper delegation of responsibility and the commensurate authority.
4In responsibility accounting, a center’s performance is measured by controllable costs. Controllable
costs are best described as including
A. Direct material and direct labor only.
B. Only those costs that the manager can influence in the current time period.
C. Only discretionary costs.
D. Those costs about which the manager is knowledgeable and informed.
Answer (B) is correct.
Control is the process of making certain that plans are achieving the desired objectives. A controllable
cost is one that is influenced by a specific responsible manager at a given level of production within a
given time span. For example, fixed costs are often not controllable in the short run.
5A segment of an organization is referred to as a service center if it has
A. Responsibility for developing markets and selling the output of the organization.
B. Responsibility for combining the raw materials, direct labor, and other factors of production into a final
output.
C. Authority to make decisions affecting the major determinants of profit including the power to choose its
markets and sources of supply.
D. Authority to provide specialized support to other units within the organization.
Answer (D) is correct.
A service center exists primarily and sometimes solely to provide specialized support to other units
within the organization. Service centers are usually operated as cost centers.
6The least complex segment or area of responsibility for which costs are allocated is a(n)
A. Profit center.
B. Investment center.
C. Contribution center.
D. Cost center.
Answer (D) is correct.
A cost center is a responsibility center that is accountable only for costs. The cost center is the least
complex type of segment because it has no responsibility for revenues or investments.
7Responsibility accounting defines an operating center that is responsible for revenue and costs as
a(n)
A. Profit center.
B. Revenue center.
C. Division.
D. Operating unit.
Answer (A) is correct.
A profit center is responsible for both revenues and costs, whereas a cost center is responsible only for
costs.
8Decentralized firms can delegate authority and yet retain control and monitor managers’ performance
by structuring the organization into responsibility centers. Which one of the following organizational segments
is most like an independent business?
A. Revenue center.
B. Profit center.
C. Cost center.
D. Investment center.
Answer (D) is correct.
An investment center is the organizational type most like an independent business because it is
responsible for its own revenues, costs incurred, and capital invested. The other types of centers do not
incorporate all three elements.
9A corporation uses a responsibility accounting system in its operations. Which one of the following
items is least likely to appear in a performance report for a manager of one of the assembly lines?
A. Direct labor.
B. Materials.
C. Repairs and maintenance.
D. Depreciation on the manufacturing facility.
Answer (D) is correct.
A well-designed responsibility accounting system establishes responsibility centers within an
organization. In a responsibility accounting system, managerial performance should be evaluated only
on the basis of those factors directly regulated (or at least capable of being significantly influenced) by
the manager. Thus, a manager of an assembly line is responsible for direct labor, materials, repairs and
maintenance, and supervisory salaries. The manager is not responsible for depreciation on the
manufacturing facility. (S)he is not in a position to control or influence capital budgeting decisions
10A company uses a performance reporting system that reflects the company’s decentralization of
decision making. The departmental performance report shows one line of data for each subordinate who reports to
the group vice president. The data presented show the actual costs incurred during the period, the budgeted costs,
and all variances from budget for that subordinate’s department. Which type of system is being used?
A. Contribution accounting.
B. Cost-benefit accounting.
C. Flexible budgeting.
D. Responsibility accounting.
Answer (D) is correct.
In a responsibility accounting system, managerial performance should be evaluated only on the basis
of those factors directly regulated (or at least capable of being significantly influenced) by the
manager. For this purpose, operations are organized into responsibility centers. Costs are classified as
controllable and noncontrollable, which implies that some revenues and costs can be changed through
effective management. If a manager has authority to incur costs, a responsibility accounting system
will charge those costs to the manager’s responsibility center.
11A manufacturer uses an accounting system that charges costs to the manager who has been
delegated the authority to make the decisions incurring the costs. For example, if the sales manager accepts a rush
order that requires the incurrence of additional manufacturing costs, these additional costs are charged to the sales
manager because the authority to accept or decline the rush order was given to the sales manager. This type of
accounting system is known as
A. Functional accounting.
B. Contribution accounting.
C. Reciprocal allocation.
D. Profitability accounting.
Answer (D) is correct.
Profitability accounting is accounting for profit centers. When sales managers have the authority and
responsibility to control costs, they are a profit center.
12In a highly decentralized organization, the best option for measuring the performance of subunits is
the establishment of
A. Marketing centers.
B. Product centers.
C. Revenue centers.
D. Cost centers.
Answer (D) is correct.
Responsibility centers may be categorized as cost centers (managers accountable for costs), revenue
centers (managers accountable for revenues), profit centers [managers accountable for revenues and
costs, i.e., for markets (revenues) and sources of supply (costs)], and investment centers (managers
accountable for revenues, costs, and investments). Cost centers is the best answer because it is the most
general. All subunits have costs but may not have revenues or investments.
13A segment of an organization is referred to as a profit center if it has
A. Authority to make decisions affecting the major determinants of profit including the power to choose its
markets and sources of supply
B. Authority to make decisions affecting the major determinants of profit including the power to choose its
markets and sources of supply and significant control over the amount of invested capital.
C. Authority to make decisions over the most significant costs of operations including the power to choose
the sources of supply.
D. Authority to provide specialized support to other units within the organization.
Answer (A) is correct.
A profit center is responsible for both revenues and expenses. For example, the perfume department in
a department store is a profit center. The manager of a profit center usually has the authority to make
decisions affecting the major determinants of profit, including the power to choose markets (revenue
sources) and suppliers (costs).
14A segment of an organization is referred to as an investment center if it has
A. Authority to make decisions affecting the major determinants of profit including the power to choose its
markets and sources of supply
B. Authority to make decisions affecting the major determinants of profit including the power to choose its
markets and sources of supply and significant control over the amount of invested capital.
C. Authority to make decisions over the most significant costs of operations including the power to choose
the sources of supply.
D. Authority to provide specialized support to other units within the organization.
Answer (B) is correct.
An investment center is responsible for revenues, expenses, and invested capital. Return on investment
is usually the key performance measure of an investment center.
15A company uses a performance reporting system that reflects the company’s decentralization of
decision making. The departmental performance reports show actual costs incurred during the period against
budgeted costs. Any variances from the budget are assigned to the individual department manager who controls the
costs. The company is using a type of system called
A. Transfer-pricing accounting.
B. Flexible budgeting.
C. Responsibility accounting.
D. Activity-based budgeting.
Answer (C) is correct.
A well-designed responsibility accounting system establishes responsibility centers within an
organization. Managerial performance should be evaluated only on the basis of those factors
controllable by the manager. Managers may control revenues, costs, and/or investment activities. A
departmental performance report showing actual costs incurred against budgeted costs permits
evaluation of a manager and the area for which (s)he is responsible.
16A tech firm uses an accounting system that charges costs to the manager who has the authority to
make decisions incurring the costs. For example, if a sales manager authorizes a rush order that results in additional
manufacturing costs, these additional costs are charged to the sales manager. This type of accounting system is
known as
A. Responsibility accounting.
B. Functional accounting.
C. Transfer-pricing accounting.
D. Contribution accounting
Answer (A) is correct.
A well-designed responsibility accounting system establishes responsibility centers within an
organization. Managerial performance should be evaluated only on the basis of those factors
controllable by the manager. Managers may control revenues, costs, and/or investment activities. The
responsibility system should induce management performance that adheres to overall company
objectives. Charging the costs of a rush order to the sales manager who authorized the job creates an
incentive for that individual to minimize such costs.
17If a manufacturing company uses responsibility accounting, which one of the following items
is least likely to appear in a performance report for a manager of an assembly line?
A. Supervisory salaries.
B. Materials.
C. Repairs and maintenance.
D. Equipment depreciation.
Answer (D) is correct.
Responsibility accounting holds managers responsible only for factors under their control. The
depreciation of equipment will probably not appear on the performance report of an assembly-line
manager because the manager usually has no control over the investment in the equipment.
18Which of the following is not true of responsibility accounting?
A. Managers should only be held accountable for factors over which they have significant influence.
B. The focus of cost center managers will normally be more narrow than that of profit center managers.
C. Every factor that affects a firm’s financial performance ultimately is controllable by someone, even if that
someone is the person at the top of the firm.
D. When a responsibility account system exists, operations of the business are organized into separate areas
controlled by individual managers
Answer (C) is correct.
Responsibility accounting stresses that managers are responsible only for factors under their control.
For this purpose, the operations of the business are organized into responsibility centers. Costs are
classified as controllable and uncontrollable. This implies that some revenues and costs can be changed
through effective management. Management may then focus on deviations for either reinforcement or
correction. Thus, the statement that every factor is ultimately controllable by someone is not a premise
of responsibility accounting
19A company plans to implement a bonus plan based on segment performance. In addition, the
company plans to convert to a responsibility accounting system for segment reporting. The following costs, which
have been included in the segment performance reports that have been prepared under the current system, are being
reviewed to determine if they should be included in the responsibility accounting segment reports:
I. Corporate administrative costs allocated on the basis of net segment sales.
II. Personnel costs assigned on the basis of the number of employees in each segment
III. Fixed computer facility costs divided equally among each segment.
IV. Variable computer operational costs charged to each segment based on actual hours used times a
predetermined standard rate; any variable cost efficiency or inefficiency remains in the computer
department.
Of these four cost items, the only item that could logically be included in the segment performance reports prepared
on a responsibility accounting basis would be the
A. Corporate administrative costs.
B. Personnel costs.
C. Fixed computer facility costs.
D. Variable computer operational costs.
Answer (D) is correct.
The variable computer cost can be included. The segments are charged for actual usage, which is under
each segment’s control. The predetermined standard rate is set at the beginning of the year and is
known by the segment managers. Moreover, the efficiencies and inefficiencies of the computer
department are not passed on to the segments. Both procedures promote a degree of control by the
segments
20In a responsibility accounting system, managers are accountable for
A. Variable costs but not for fixed costs.
B. Product costs but not for period costs.
C. Incremental costs.
D. Costs over which they have significant influence.
Answer (D) is correct.
The most desirable measure for evaluating a departmental manager is one that holds the manager
responsible for the revenues and expenses (s)he can control. Controllability is the basic concept of
responsibility accounting
21Which of the following types of responsibility centers include controllable revenues in their
performance reports?
Cost Investment Profit
Centers Centers Centers
A. Yes Yes Yes
B. Yes No No
C. No Yes Yes
D. No No No
Answer (C) is correct.
In investment centers, managers are responsible for all activities, including costs, revenues, and
investments. An investment center is a profit center with significant control over the amount of capital
invested. This control extends to investments such as receivables and property, plant, and equipment,
as well as entry into new markets. A cost center, for example, a production department, is responsible
for costs only. A profit center, for example, the appliance department in a retail store, is responsible for
both revenues and expenses.
22Periodic internal reports used for performance evaluation purposes and based on a responsibility
accounting system should not include
A. Allocated fixed overhead.
B. A distinction between controllable and noncontrollable costs.
C. An organization chart.
D. Variances between actual and budgeted controllable costs.
Answer (A) is correct.
Allocated fixed overhead should not be included in internal reports based on a responsibility
accounting system because it cannot be controlled by a manager of a responsibility center.
23Which one of the following best identifies a profit center?
A. The Information Technology Department of a large consumer products company.
B. A large toy company.
C. The Production Operations Department of a small job-order machine shop company.
D. A new car sales division for a large local auto agency.
Answer (D) is correct.
Management of a profit center is responsible for revenues and expenses but not invested capital. Of the
four responsibility centers listed, a new car sales division for a large local auto agency is the only one
that fits this description.
24Characteristics of a responsibility accounting system include all of the following except that
A. Responsibility for performance according to budget must be linked to the appropriate authority.
B. The system should encourage employee involvement and participation.
C. Cost centers are responsible for revenues as well as common costs.
D. Each level of management is responsible for its department’s operations and employees
Answer (C) is correct.
Management of a cost center is, by definition, only responsible for costs. To make management
answerable for revenues as well undercuts the purpose of sound responsibility accounting