The rules of politics are not always the same as the rules of economics. In discussions of setting budgets for government agencies, there is a strategy called "closing the Washington monument." When an agency faces the unwelcome prospect of a budget cut, it may decide to close a high-visibility attraction enjoyed by many people (like the Washington monument). Explain in terms of diminishing marginal utility why the Washington monument strategy is so misleading. Hint: If you are really trying to make the best of a budget cut, should you cut the items in your budget with the highest marginal utility or the lowest marginal utility? Does the Washington monument strategy cut the items with the highest marginal utility or the lowest marginal utility?

Allen's office department manufactures computer desks in its​ moosejaw, saskatchewan, plant. the company uses activity based costing to allocate all manufacturing conversion costs​ (direct labour and manufacturing​ overhead). its activities and related data​ follow: ​(click the icon to view the activity areas and related​ data.) requirements 1. compute the​ per-unit manufacturing product cost of standard desks and unpainted desks. 2. premanufacturing​ activities, such as product​ design, were assigned to the standard desks at $ 5 each and to the unpainted desks at $ 2 each. similar analyses were conducted of postmanufacturing​ activities, such as​ distribution, marketing, and customer service. the postmanufacturing costs were $ 31 per standard and $ 26 per unpainted desk. compute the full product costs per desk. 3. which product costs are reported in the external financial​ statements? which costs are used for management decision​ making? explain the difference. 4. what price should allen's managers set for standard desks to earn a $ 52 profit per​ desk?