operating as expected (such as a large shortfall in sales of a product) and devoting less
time to areas operating as expected. In other words, by highlighting the areas that have
deviated most from expectations, variances enable managers to focus their efforts on the
most critical areas. Consider scrap and rework costs at a Maytag appliances plant. If
actual costs are much higher than budgeted, the variances will guide managers to seek
explanations and to take early corrective action, ensuring that future operations result in
less scrap and rework. Sometimes a large positive variance may occur, such as a significant
decrease in manufacturing costs of a product. Managers will try to understand the
reasons for this decrease (better operator training or changes in manufacturing methods
for example), so these practices can be appropriately continued and transferred to other
divisions within the organization.
Variances are also used in performance evaluation and to motivate managers.
Production-line managers at Maytag may have quarterly efficiency incentives linked to
achieving a budgeted amount of operating costs.
Sometimes variances suggest that the company should consider a change in strategy.
For example, large negative variances caused by excessive defect rates for a new product
may suggest a flawed product design. Managers may then want to investigate the product
design and potentially change the mix of products being offered.
Variance analysis contributes in many ways to making the five-step decision-making
process more effective. It allows managers to evaluate performance and learn by providing
a framework for correctly assessing current performance. In turn, managers take corrective
actions to ensure that decisions are implemented correctly and that previously
budgeted results are attained. Variances also enable managers to generate more informed
predictions about the future, and thereby improve the quality of the five-step decisionmaking
process.
The benefits of variance analysis are not restricted to companies. In today’s difficult
economic environment, public officials have realized that the ability to make timely tactical
alterations based on variance information guards against having to make more
draconian adjustments later. For example, the city of Scottsdale, Arizona, monitors its
tax and fee performance against expenditures monthly. Why? One of the city’s goals is
to keep its water usage rates stable. By monitoring the extent to which water revenues
are meeting current expenses and obligations, while simultaneously building up funds
for future infrastructure projects, the city can avoid rate spikes and achieve long-run
rate stability.2
How important is variance analysis? A survey by the United Kingdom’s Chartered
Institute of Management Accountants in July 2009 found that variance analysis was easily
the most popular costing tool in practice, and retained that distinction across organizations
of all sizes.