The auditor concluded that this problem started
because the firm’s method of comparing its actual raisin
consumption and cost with the accounting budget,
while accurately indicating the amount of fruit consumed
by the process and the corresponding loss, did
not represent the capability of either the fruit processing
or packaging systems. Because the firm relied solely
on accounting data to manage the system, process
managers were able to manipulate the accounting
reports by manipulating the system. Furthermore, the
accounting reports did not provide any indication as to
the source of the problem or how to correct it.