Refer to the HR Reports in the Inquirer. Through past investments in recruiting and training Chester has obtained a productivity index of 109.5%. This means that Chester's labor costs would be increased by 9.5% if it did not have these productivity improvements. This is a competitive advantage that Chester can sustain or even widen further if its competitors have no HR initiatives. Now, refer to the Income Statement in Chester's Annual Report. How much did Chester's productivity improvements save it in direct labor costs (in thousands) last year?

Precision dyes is analyzing two machines to determine which one it should purchase. the company requires a rate of return of 15 percent and uses straight-line depreciation to a zero book value over the life of its equipment. ignore bonus depreciation. machine a has a cost of $462,000, annual aftertax cash outflows of $46,200, and a four-year life. machine b costs $898,000, has annual aftertax cash outflows of $16,500, and has a seven-year life. whichever machine is purchased will be replaced at the end of its useful life. which machine should the company purchase and how much less is that machine's eac as compared to the other machine's

Scoresby co. uses 6 machine hours and 2 direct labor hours to produce product x. it uses 8 machine hours and 16 direct labor hours to produce product y. scoresby's assembly and finishing departments have factory overhead rates of $240 per machine hour and $160 per direct labor hour, respectively. how much overhead cost will be charged to the two products? a. product x = $1,440; product y = $2,560 b. product x = $1,760; product y = $4,480 c. product x = $3,200; product y = $9,600 d. product x = $800; product y = $800

The quinoa seed is in high demand in wealthier countries such as the u.s. and japan. approximately 97% of all quinoa production comes from small farmers in bolivia and peru who farm at high elevations—8,000 feet or higher. the seed is considered highly nutritious. mostly grown and harvested in bolivia and peru, and sold to markets in other countries, the seed is now considered an important for these nations. the governments of bolivia and peru are hopeful that this product will increase the quality of life of their farmers.