A vice president of a company engaged in the following thought process at the end of the third quarter for his company.

If I can increase my reported profit by $2 million, the actual earnings per share will exceed analysts' expectations, and the stock prices will increase. The stock options that I am holding will become more valuable. The extra income will also make me eligible to receive a significant bonus. With a daughter getting ready to go to college, it would be good if I could cash in some of these options to help pay her college expenses. However, my vice president of finance indicates that such an increase is unlikely. The projected profit for the fourth quarter will just about meet the expected earnings per share. There may be ways, though, that I can achieve the desired outcome.

First, I can instruct all divisional managers that their preventive maintenance budgets are reduced by 25 percent for the fourth quarter. That should reduce maintenance expenses by approximately $1 million.

Second, I can increase the estimated life of the existing equipment, producing a reduction of depreciation by another $500,000.

Third, I can reduce the salary increases for those being promoted by 50 percent. And That should easily put us over the needed increase of $2 million.

Can you help explain the type of costs (fixed, variable, semi-variable, etc.) that the vice president is contemplating manipulating?

Comment on the effect of the "budget" manipulations in general, as well as, the effect on the employees.

Does an ethical dilemma exist?

How should the dilemma be resolved, or how would you handle it?

Is there any way to redesign the accounting reporting system to discourage the type of behavior the manager is contemplating?