Activity-based costing (abc) is not truly a cost collection mechanism as much as it is an inventory valuation method. the main purpose for implementing an activity-based cost system is to try to overcome some of the cost distortions that occur in traditional costing from product differences when there are variations in size and complexity. however, one of the disadvantages of utilizing abc is that the additional information gathering necessary to implement costing with that level of detail might be beyond the reach of some companies with resource or financial constraints. with this in mind, what kinds of industries or companies do you think would benefit most from using activity-based costing and why? in designing or modifying an accounting system to capture appropriate costs for abc, what considerations do you think would need to be made?

Wo firms, a and b, each currently dump 50 tons of chemicals into the local river. the government has decided to reduce the pollution and from now on will require a pollution permit for each ton of pollution dumped into the river. it costs firm a $100 for each ton of pollution that it eliminates before it reaches the river, and it costs firm b $50 for each ton of pollution that it eliminates before it reaches the river. the government gives each firm 20 pollution permits. government officials are not sure whether to allow the firms to buy or sell the pollution permits to each other. what is the total cost of reducing pollution if firms are not allowed to buy and sell pollution permits from each other? what is the total cost of reducing pollution if the firms are allowed to buy and sell permits from each other? a. $3,000; $1,500 b. $4,500; $3,500 c. $4,500; $4,000 d. $4,500; $2,500