=+Plant Manager: What’s the problem? Well, everything. Look at the variance. It’s too large.

If I understand the accounting approach being used here, you are assuming that my costs are variable to the units produced. Thus, as the production volume declines, so should these costs. Well, I don’t believe that these costs are variable at all. I think they are fixed costs. As a result, when we operate below capacity, the costs really don’t go down at all. I’m being penalized for costs I have no control over at all. I need this report to be redone to reflect this fact. If anything, the difference between actual and budget is essentially a volume variance. Listen, I know that you’re a team player.

You really need to reconsider your assumptions on this one.