(a)   Using the following information, calculate the inventory carrying cost  percentage.
(b)  Would it be a good decision to spend $850,000  per year in increased  production setup costs and premium transportation costs  in order to  achieve an inventory reduction of 12%?
- Finished goods inventory is $40  million at full manufactured cost.
- Variable manufactured cost of  inventory is 60% of full manufactured cost.
- Variable transportation cost  was $2 million.
- Variable warehousing cost to  move inventory into storage was $320,000.
- The company was experiencing  capital rationing and required that new investments earn at least 25% before  taxes.
- Personal property taxes paid on  inventory were approximately $220,000.
- Insurance coverage to protect  against loss of inventory was $125,000.
- Storage charges at public  warehouses totaled $400,000.
- Obsolescence was $90,000.
- Theft of inventory was $85,000.
- Damage related to inventory  storage was $45,000.
- Transportation cost of cross-shipping  inventory to avoid obsolescence was $35,000.