Cost classification ... continued

Cost Classifications for Decision-Making. Every decision involves choosing from among at least two alternatives. Only those costs and benefits that differ between alternatives are relevant in making the selection. This concept is explored in greater detail in the chapter on relevant costs. However, decision-making contexts crop up from time to time in the text before that chapter, so it is a good idea to familiarize students with relevant cost concepts.
1. Differential Costs. A differential cost is a cost that differs between alternatives. The cost may exist in only one of the alternatives or the total amount of the cost may differ between the alternatives. In the latter case, the differential cost would be the difference between the cost under one alternative and the cost under the other. Differential costs are also called incremental costs. Differential costs and opportunity costs should be the focus of decision-making. They are the only relevant costs and all others should be ignored.
2. Opportunity Costs. An opportunity cost is the potential benefit that is given up by selecting one alternative over another. The concept of an opportunity cost is rather difficult for students to understand because it is not an actual expenditure and it is rarely (if ever) shown on the accounting books of an organization. It is, however, a cost that must be considered in decisions.
3. Sunk Cost. A sunk cost is a cost that has already been incurred and that cannot be changed by any decision made now or in the future. Since sunk costs cannot be changed and therefore cannot be differential costs, they should be ignored in decision making. While students usually accept the idea that sunk costs should be ignored on an abstract level, like most people they often have difficulty putting this idea into practice.
 

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