In this paper, we continue with a tutorial on how the MCA interfaces with the
operations management function. We show how the year-end MCA reports
are converted into the FA reports required by every company. If not carefully
applied, MCA has the potential to encourage dysfunctional behavior, such as
producing unneeded inventory. As noted, this gives the operational manager
not only the opportunity to avoid unfavorable variances but also to show lower
product costs and higher FA profits. Eventually, FA standards will force the
write off of the worthless inventory, but this may never be fully traced back
to the MCA and the decisions made by the operations manager to build the
inventory in the first place. In effect, the manager could continue to build
inventory to hide budget variances in perpetuity. This has serious implications
for distorting managerial evaluations by rewarding managers that build
inventory while penalizing responsible managers that follow the no-inventory
policy due to unfavorable budget variances.