Chic Cycle Inc., has two divisions, A and? B, which manufacture expensive bicycles. Division A produces the bicycle frame, and division B assembles the rest of the bicycle onto the frame. There is a market for both the subassembly and the final product. Each division has been designated as a profit center. The transfer price for the subassembly has been set at the long-run average market price. The following data are available for each division: Selling price for final product $3000
Long-run average selling price
for intermediate product 2000
Incremental cost per unit for completion in division B 1500
Incremental cost per unit in
division A 1200

The manager of division B has made the following calculation:
Selling price for final product $3000
Transferred-in cost per
unit (market) $2000
Incremental cost per unit
for completion 1500 $3500
Contribution (loss) on product $(500)

a. Should transfers be made to division B if there is no unused capacity in division A? Is the market price the correct transfer price? Show your computations.
b. Assume that division A's maximum capacity for this product is 1,000 units per month and sales to the intermediate market are now 800 units.
Should 200 units be transferred to division B? At what transfer price? Assume that for a variety of reasons, division A will maintain the $2000 selling price indefinitely. That is, division A is not considering lowering the price to outsider buyers even if idle capacity exists.

c. Suppose division A quoted a transfer price of $1500 for up to 200 units. What would be the contribution to the company as a whole if a transfer were made? As manager of division B, would you be inclined to buy at $1500? Explain.