The restaurant complains bitterly to the Budget Committee that the budget allocated for next year is unfeasible and he cannot possibly take any cuts. He says that the kitchen budget is too high and should be cut instead. He insists that the consumables budget must be maintained. The budget committee considers his protest and the following offer is made to him: Cut the consumables budget or save the required amount from the wages component. The amount that needs to be saved is equivalent to a supervisor wage or two operational staff.

How could the supervisor have acted differently? Is the committee unreasonable? Is it always as black and white in budget situations? What are other alternatives rather than cutting expenditure?