• Best Cost Corporation has an aggressive research and development (R&D) program and uses target costing to aid in the final decision to release new products to production. A new product is being evaluated. Market research has surveyed the potential market for this product and believes that its unique features will generate a total demand of 50,000 units at an average price of $230. Design and production engineering departments have performed a value analysis of the product and have determined that the total cost for the various value-chain functions using the existing process technology are as follows: Value-Chain Function Total Cost over Product Life Research and Development $ 1,500,000 Design 750,000 Manufacturing 5,000,000 Marketing 800,000 Distribution 1,200,000 Customer Service 750,000 Total Cost over Product Life $10,000,000 Management has a target profi t percentage of 20% of sales. Production engineering indicates that a new process technology can reduce the manufacturing cost by 40%, but it will cost $1,100,000. Required: i. Assuming the existing process technology is used, should the new product be released to production? Explain. ii. Assuming the new process technology is purchased, should the new product be released to production? Explain.