To calculate the overall total cost for the given production plan, we need to account for the following costs:

1. Regular production cost for each quarter.
2. Holding cost for any ending inventory.
3. Hiring cost for each quarter.
4. Firing cost for each quarter.
5. Subcontracting cost, if subcontracting is used.

Step-by-step calculation:

1. Regular Production Cost:

The regular production for each quarter is given, and the cost per unit is $79. The total regular production cost for each quarter is calculated as:

$\text{Regular Production Cost} = \text{Regular Production Units} \times \text{Cost per Unit}$

• Q1: $3,360 \times 79 = 265,440$
• Q2: $3,840 \times 79 = 303,360$
• Q3: $4,440 \times 79 = 350,760$
• Q4: $4,080 \times 79 = 322,320$

Total Regular Production Cost:
$265,440 + 303,360 + 350,760 + 322,320 = 1,241,880$

2. Holding Cost:

Since no ending inventory is mentioned, there is no holding cost.

3. Hiring Cost:

The number of employees hired in each quarter is given. The hiring cost per employee is $860.

• Q1: $4 \times 860 = 3,440$
• Q2: $5 \times 860 = 4,300$
• Q3: No hiring, so cost = 0
• Q4: No hiring, so cost = 0

Total Hiring Cost:
$3,440 + 4,300 = 7,740$

4. Firing Cost:

The number of employees fired in each quarter is given. The firing cost per employee is $2,400.

• Q1: $2 \times 2,400 = 4,800$
• Q2: $3 \times 2,400 = 7,200$
• Q3: No firing, so cost = 0
• Q4: No firing, so cost = 0

Total Firing Cost:
$4,800 + 7,200 = 12,000$

5. Subcontracting Cost:

Since there is no subcontracted production mentioned, there is no subcontracting cost.

Overall Total Cost:

Now, summing up all the costs:

$\text{Overall Total Cost} = \text{Regular Production Cost} + \text{Hiring Cost} + \text{Firing Cost}$

$\text{Overall Total Cost} = 1,241,880 + 7,740 + 12,000 = 1,261,620$

Thus, the overall total cost for this production plan is $1,261,620.

Would you like further details or explanations on any part? Here are some related questions for deeper exploration:

1. What would happen to the total cost if ending inventory were factored in?
2. How would the total cost change if subcontracting were used in one of the quarters?
3. What is the impact of varying hiring and firing costs on the total production cost?
4. How would an increase in production rate per employee affect the overall cost?
5. What strategies could be used to reduce the overall cost in future quarters?

Tip: Holding costs can sometimes accumulate if there's excess production, so managing inventory efficiently is crucial.