Showing papers on "Overhead (business) published in 1987"

Vehicle maintenance: cost relationship and estimating methodology

Abstract: An investigation into maintenance costs and programs at transit properties throughout California is summarized. The objectives of the research were to study and report on maintenance cost information, and on the need for maintenance management support. The materials presented in this paper are intended to aid maintenance managers in planning, managing, and controlling maintenance costs and effectiveness. Cost relationships are presented for the estimation of maintenance costs by element and maintenance function area. Graphs are presented for estimating total maintenance cost dependent on fleet size and annual vehicle miles. Cost element contributions to total maintenance cost are identified for repair, inspection and servicing labor, fringe benefits, and overhead; maintenance administration, material, and supply cost rates are also provided.

Successful Corporate Turnarounds: A Guide for Board Members, Financial Managers, Financial Institutions, and Other Creditors

Abstract: Coming to Grips with the Problem Danly Machine Corporation Communications People Aspects Finance Overhead Inventory Procurement Manufacturing Marketing Technology New Product Development Strategic Planning Foreign Operations Operating During Strikes

Successful Corporate Turnarounds

Abstract: Coming to Grips with the Problem Danly Machine Corporation: A Turnaround Example Communications People Aspects Finance Overhead Inventory Procurement Manufacturing Marketing Technology New Product Development Strategic Planning Foreign Operataions Operating During Strikes

Cost-effective clinical engineering programs: an expanding role in hospitals.

Abstract: The advent of Diagnostic Related Groupings (DRGs) has brought significant changes to the way hospitals do business. In this environment, Clinical Engineering (CE) departments can play a significant role by identifying areas in which their expertise can be utilized to control costs and increase reliability of medical instrumentation and systems. First, CE departments must examine the impact of technology and the costs of technology on the health care environment. Second, they must examine the CE services provided and their appropriateness to the present needs of the hospital. Third, they must identify the costs and savings associated with providing these services. If CE Departments are able to show that they are an asset rather than just an overhead expense, such cost-effective departments will have an expanding role in today's hospitals.

The chemistry laboratory. Development of average, fixed, and variable costs for incorporation into a management control system.

Abstract: In order to estimate real cost savings achievable from reductions in laboratory test volume and in order to provide a management tool to help achieve such savings, we developed a management system for our chemistry laboratory. The system estimates the fixed costs (i.e., equipment, direct overhead, and indirect overhead costs), the variable costs (i.e., labor and supplies), and the total costs for each of the 81 tests performed in our hospital's chemistry laboratory. A monthly management report compares predicted changes in total variable costs (based on test volume) to actual variable cost changes. One useful insight from the system is that substantial savings may be realized from reducing low-volume, high-variable cost tests that are not normally the target of test-reducing strategies. The savings per test not ordered was estimated to be $5.24 for the low-volume, high-variable cost tests but only $0.45 for the high-volume, low-variable cost tests, nearly a 12-fold difference. A 10% volume reduction of the former (a reduction of only 6,400 tests annually) would achieve 63% of the savings from a 10% volume reduction of the latter (a reduction of 120,000 tests annually). An effective management reporting system, which tracks actual cost savings, is probably necessary to achieve these savings.

The packing simulation model

Abstract: uct quality and yield, packing labor requireThe Packing Simulation Model is a micro- ments and wage rates, packout rates, plant computer application program designed for capacity, overhead, and loan terms. The efresearchers, extension personnel, bankers, fects of changes in these parameters are compacking managers, or other specialists who puted in individual crop packing budgets, cash plan the operations of a packing facility or sim- flow and income statements, a balance sheet, ulate its financial performance. PACKSIM breakeven analyses, financial ratios, labor produces pro forma financial statements for usage, payment to farmer calculations, and a packing facilities based on flexible crop mixes credit report. These statements are pro forma and packing assumptions. Variations can be reports; PACKSIM is not a bookkeeping made in the product harvest schedule, price, program. quality, quantity, input costs and require- The need for PACKSIM grew out of a rements, packing efficiency, overhead, and loan search project to determine the feasibility of terms. developing a fresh vegetable industry in southeastern Oklahoma. Many of the assumpspreadsheets, packing facility, tions underlying business plans changed often spreadsheets, packing facility, as the producers and packing managers as the producers and packing managers sensitivity analysis. learned more about the production and Ad~~~~~~F ~~marketing system for new crops. Produce Financial planning for various price, quality, packing managers in private business and a and volume scenarios in a packing facility is regional development project have used tedious when done by hand. Computerized PACKSIM to prepare loan application spreadsheets to generate pro forma financial materials and to analyze long-term expansion statements should be useful to packing plans. Researchers have used PACKSIM to facilities because they must make numerous analyze the impact of variations in quality and assumptions in any given packing season. yield on packing costs. The packing managers Microcomputer simulation should be bene- found that working within a framework such ficial for agribusiness researchers, extension as PACKSIM made the planning process personnel, bankers, and teaching faculty in- more systematic. They were less likely to terested in packing facility feasibility. overlook important assumptions because The Packing Simulation Model (PACKSIM) PACKSIM leads the user through all of the inconsists of two templates constructed with the put requirements. Although the number of spreadsheet software Lotus 1-2-3.1 PACKSIM data inputs may seem extensive for the firstproduces pro forma financial statements time user of PACKSIM, these inputs were based on flexible crop mixes and packing generally known to the packing managers who assumptions. Variations can be made in prod- worked with PACKSIM.