Options:
a. Actual overhead costs below applied overhead costs
b. Actual production units below budgeted production unit
c. Standard direct labor hours below actual direct labor hours
d. The standard variable overhead rate below the actual variable overhead rate
Answer: c. Standard direct labor hours below actual direct labor hours
Explanation: The variable overhead efficiency variance can obtained by multiplying the difference between the actual and Budgeted labour hours by the hourly rate for standard variable overhead. In this case, the outcome may be favorable or unfavorable. The variable overhead efficiency variance will be favorable if the actual labor hours is less than the budgeted hours while it will be unfavorable if the actual labor hours exceed the budgeted labor hours as described in the scenario above.