2 The Information Technology division (IT) of the RJ Business Consulting Group provides consulting services to its
clients as well as to other divisions within the group. Consultants always work in teams of two on every consulting
day. Each consulting day is charged to external clients at ￡750 which represents cost plus 150% profit mark up. The
total cost per consulting day has been estimated as being 80% variable and 20% fixed.
The director of the Human Resources (HR) division of RJ Business Consulting Group has requested the services of
two teams of consultants from the IT division on five days per week for a period of 48 weeks, and has suggested that
she meets with the director of the IT division in order to negotiate a transfer price. The director of the IT division has
responded by stating that he is aware of the limitations of using negotiated transfer prices and intends to charge the
HR division ￡750 per consulting day.
The IT division always uses ‘state of the art’ video-conferencing equipment on all internal consultations which would
reduce the variable costs by ￡50 per consulting day. Note: this equipment can only be used when providing internal
consultations.
Required:
(a) Calculate and discuss the transfer prices per consulting day at which the IT division should provide
consulting services to the HR division in order to ensure that the profit of the RJ Business Consulting Group
is maximised in each of the following situations:
(i) Every pair of consultants in the IT division is 100% utilised during the required 48-week period in
providing consulting services to external clients, i.e. there is no spare capacity.
(ii) There is one team of consultants who, being free from other commitments, would be available to
undertake the provision of services to the HR division during the required 48-week period. All other
teams of consultants would be 100% utilised in providing consulting services to external clients.
(iii) A major client has offered to pay the IT division ￡264,000 for the services of two teams of consultants
during the required 48-week period.
(12 marks)