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1. The weekly output of a fabrication process is shown below together with data

ID: 394355 • Letter: 1

Question

1. The weekly output of a fabrication process is shown below together with data for labor and material costs. Overhead is charged weekly at the rate of 1.5 times direct labor cost. Assume a 40-hour week and an hourly wage of $20.

(1) What is the multifactor productivity for each of the three weeks?

(2) Based on your computation of (1), what is the growth rate (in percentage) of multifactor productivity from week 1 to week 2 and week 2 to week 3?

Week

Output

No. of workers

Material costs

1

52000

7

18000

2

55000

8

22000

3

56000

7

20000

Week

Output

No. of workers

Material costs

1

52000

7

18000

2

55000

8

22000

3

56000

7

20000

Explanation / Answer

Explanation 1:

Labor cost= No. of labor*total week working hours*hourly wage

Material cost= As Given

Overhead cost= Labor cost*1.5

Total cost= Labor cost+ Material cost+ Overhead cost

Week

Output

Labor cost

(No. of labor*total week working hours*hourly wage)

Material cost

Overhead cost

(Labor cost*1.5)

Total cost

(Labor cost+

Material cost+

Overhead cost)

MFP

(Output/Total cost)

1

52,000

7*40*20=

5600$

18000$

5600*1.5=

8400$

32000$

1.62

2

55,000

8*40*20=

6400$

22000$

6400*1.5=

9600$

38000$

1.45

3

56,000

7*40*20=

5600$

20000$

5600*1.5=

8400$

34000$

1.65

Answer: MFP = Output/Total cost

Explanation 2:

Growth rate in MFP from week 1 to week 2= ((MFP2 – MFP1)/ MFP1) *100

                                                                               = ((1.45-1.62)/1.62) *100

                                                                               = -10.5% (Answer)

Growth rate in MFP from week 2 to week 3= ((MFP3 – MFP2)/ MFP2) *100

                                                                               = 13.8% (Answer)

Week

Output

Labor cost

(No. of labor*total week working hours*hourly wage)

Material cost

Overhead cost

(Labor cost*1.5)

Total cost

(Labor cost+

Material cost+

Overhead cost)

MFP

(Output/Total cost)

1

52,000

7*40*20=

5600$

18000$

5600*1.5=

8400$

32000$

1.62

2

55,000

8*40*20=

6400$

22000$

6400*1.5=

9600$

38000$

1.45

3

56,000

7*40*20=

5600$

20000$

5600*1.5=

8400$

34000$

1.65