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The Accounting Review Vol. 42 No. 3 1967

An Extension of Standard Cost Variance Analysis.

Nicholas Dopuch1; Jacob G. Birnberg2; Joel Demski3

1 Associate Professor, University of Chicago. 1 · 2 Associate Professor, University of Pittsburgh. 2 · 3 Assistant Professor, Columbia University. 3

Abstract

This article focuses on a study which demonstrated how similar types of standard cost variance analysis may be applied to the control of the application and performance of formal decision models. Previous efforts to improve the usefulness of standard cost variance analysis have tended to focus on one of two related problems. Proposals have been offered that had as their objective either an improvement in the types of variances the accountant should calculate or in his methods for analyzing the significance of observed variances. The essential difference between process control and model control lies in the type of response management should make to an observed variance. The appropriate response by management depends upon the expected source of the deviation. Traditionally, standard cost systems have concentrated on the analysis of type 1 and type 2-a deviations. These systems have not been designed to indicate when and if type 2-b deviations are critical to the decision process.

DOI
10.2308/tar-4482037
Volume
42
Issue
3
Pages
526-536
Language
en
Sources
openalex crossref

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