Bowman Specialists Incorporated $($BSI$)$ manufactures specialized equipment for polishing optical lenses. There are two models$-$one

$($A$-25)$ principally used for fine eyewear and the other $($A$-10)$ for lenses used in binoculars, cameras, and similar equipment.

The following table shows how the manufacturing cost of each unit is calculated, using activity$-$based costing, for these manufacturing

cost pools.

BSI currently sells the A$-10$ model for $$5,330$ and the A$-25$ model for $$1,985.$ Manufacturing costs and activity usage for the two

products follow:

Required:

Calculate the product cost and product margin for each product.

A new competitor has entered the market for lens$-$polishing equipment with a superior product at significantly lower prices, $$2,385$

for the A$-10$ model and $$1,860$ for the $A-25$ model. To try to compete, BSI has made some radical improvements in the design and

manufacturing of its two products. The materials costs and activity usage rates have been decreased significantly, as follows:

$2-$a$.$ Calculate the total product costs with the new activity usage data.

$2-$b$.$ Can BSI make a positive gross margin with the new costs, assuming that it must meet the price set by the new competitor?

What cost management method might be useful to BSI at this time?