Packaging Solutions Corporation manufactures and sells a wide variety of packaging products. Performance reports are prepared monthly for each department. The planning budget and flexible budget for the Production Department are based on the following formulas, where q is the number of labor-hours worked in a month.

Cost Formulas
Direct labor $16.20q
Indirect labor $4,300 $1.70q
Utilities $5,600 $0.70q
Supplies $1,400 $0.20q
Equipment depreciation $18,400 $2.90q
Factory rent $8,200
Property taxes $2,700
Factory administration $13,200 $0.80q
The Production Department planned to work 4,200 labor-hours in March; however, it actually worked 4,000 labor-hours during the month. Its actual costs incurred in March are listed below.

The business cycle is the periodic but irregular up-and-down movement in economic activity, measured by fluctuations in real gross domestic product (gdp) and other macroeconomic variables. a business cycle is typically characterized by four phases—recession, recovery, growth, and decline—that repeat themselves over time. economists note, however, that complete business cycles vary in length. the duration of business cycles can be anywhere from about two to twelve years, with most cycles averaging six years in length. some business analysts use the business cycle model and terminology to study and explain fluctuations in business inventory and other individual elements of corporate operations. but the term "business cycle" is still primarily associated with larger (industry-wide, regional, national, or even international) business trends.