Zigzag Manufacturing has just hired a new controller, Leslie Demorest. During her first week on the job, Leslie was asked to establish a budget for operating expenses in 2019. Since Leslie was not yet familiar with the operations of Zigzag Manufacturing, she decided to budget these expenses using the same procedures as the prior controller. Therefore, in order to establish a budget for operating expenses, Leslie started with actual operating expenses incurred in 2018 and added 3.8%. Leslie based this percentage on inflation as measured by the consumer price index. Required: Comment on the effectiveness of Leslie’s budgeting strategy.

Zigzag Manufacturing

The Effectiveness of Leslie Demorest's Budgeting Strategy

The strategy of adjusting the previous year's operating expenses with inflation is not an effective way of strategic budget planning.  Leslie's budgeting strategy does not take advantage of forecasts of unexpectedly good performance and fails to provide any reaction that can occur when there are downturns in cash flow.

An effective budgeting strategy should provide the standard for the effective use of financial resources of Zigzag Manufacturing in its business operations.  There are no clear goals to be achieved and an evaluation of how the goals will be achieved through the budget implementation.

Explanation:

An effective budget should be able to forecast and track revenues and expenses, which are received and incurred in pursuit of business goals and projections.  An effective budget ensures that those who implement the projections contained in the budget remain motivated.  The idea of adjusting previous expenses with inflation is not an effective budgeting strategy.